While Govt Bans Drone In Nigeria , Rwanda Becomes The First Country To Save Lives With Drones

While the world is busy making drones a tool for a faster means of transportation and making lives better, drones in Nigeria are banned for security reasons.

An ingenious drone delivery service known as “Uber for blood” has slashed the delivery time of life-saving medicine to remote regions of Rwanda from four hours to an .

The drone flies to the clinic at up to 60mph. When it is within a minute of the destination, the doctor receives a text. The drone then drops the package, attached to a parachute, into a special zone near the clinic before returning to base.

A partnership between Zipline, a Silicon Valley robotics company, and the country’s health ministry has delivered more than 5,500 units of blood over the past year, often in life-saving situations. Never before have patients in the country received blood so quickly and efficiently.

While commercial drone delivery in wealthier countries is still at the testing stage, hampered by busy skies and strict regulations on airspace, Zipline is delivering blood to 12 regional hospitals from a base in the east of Rwanda. Each hospital serves about half a million people.

The use of drones is helping to reduce maternal deaths – a quarter of which are the result of blood loss during childbirth – and high incidences of malaria-induced anaemia, which is common in children.

Drone delivery also means hospitals can store less blood, which means less waste as blood spoils quickly.

“Some of the biggest, most powerful technology companies in the world are still trying to figure out how to do this. But east Africa is showing them all the way,” he said. “The work in Rwanda has shown the world what’s possible when you make a national commitment to expand healthcare access with drones and help save lives.”

How It Works

Doctors place orders on-demand through a simple app for any medicine they need, when they need it.

Medical products are stored centrally at Zipline's distribution centers and are flown quickly to any destination. This maintains cold-chain and product integrity while eliminating waste.

The Specs/Mode 

Zipline packages the order then launches it into flight. Racing along at over 100 km/h, vital products arrive faster than any other mode of transport.

Our drones fly without a pilot and are battery-powered, reducing the cost and emissions of moving medicine.

Closer Than You Think

Our drones fly over remote mountains, rivers, and washed-out roads. They require no local infrastructure to serve communities.

Within 30 minutes, medical supplies are delivered from the sky by parachute. Recipients don't interact with the drone itself.