November 16, 2021 – Cardinal Health Inc. (Dublin, OH) has partnered with drone operator Zipline International Inc. (San Francisco, CA) to test the use of drones to deliver pills, inhalers and other items to U.S. pharmacies. The pilot program would start next year outside Charlotte, North Carolina, pending approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the companies said.
Aerial drones with 11-foot wingspans would carry loads of up to four pounds about 10 miles from a Zipline distribution center in Kannapolis, North Carolina, to local pharmacies in 15 to 30 minutes.
Cardinal declined to name the pharmacy company participating in the program.
Josh Dolan, Cardinal Health’s senior vice president of pharmaceutical operations, said drone delivery would allow the company to bypass road obstacles such as natural disasters and help replenish high-turnover items. Eventually, he said, it will be useful for emergency situations in remote areas or when time is crucial, such as delivering antivenom for snake bites.
While speed and reliability are the main reasons Cardinal Health is pursuing drone delivery, the flights would also allow the company to avoid fluctuations in prices for last-minute courier or helicopter deliveries, Dolan said. The company eventually aims to expand the program to more products and regions, which would also depend on FAA approvals, a spokesman said.
The program with Cardinal Health would use drones that are about six feet from head to tail and resemble miniature planes. They would travel 300 to 400 feet above the ground over a variety of terrains and drop packages with parachutes into landing zones about two parking spaces wide, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Zipline’s drones can travel up to 100 miles round trip, or 50 miles from the distribution center. The company is still working out routes with aviation regulators, a spokeswoman said. Cardinal Health plans to stock and replenish products daily from its distribution center in Greensboro, NC, about an hour’s drive away.