WakeMed Hospital first in the nation to debut drone delivery for medical samples

The short trips between WakeMed buildings in Raleigh mark the first time the Federal Aviation Administration has allowed regular commercial flights of drones carrying products, according to UPS and drone company Matternet, which partnered with the hospital on the program.
Posted 3/26/2019, 10:15:00 PM Updated 3/26/2019, 10:19:51 PM

HAGUE INSTEAD.

>>> WAKE MED IS PAVING THE WAY

FOR HOSPITALS ACROSS THE

COUNTRY.

SMALL UNMANNED AIRCRAFTS WILL

BE ZIPPING SAMPLES ACROSS THE

CAMPUS.

TODAY WAS THE FIRST REAM FLIGHT

OF AN ACTUAL DELIVERY SERVICE.

DEBRA MORGAN IS IN THE NEWS

CENTER TO EXPLAIN HOW IT WORKS.

>> IS IT PRETTY NEAT.

IT CONTAINED NO PATIENT

INFORMATION.

IT WAS A DEMO FOR THE MEDIA AND

PARTNERS IN THE PROGRAM.

THE 3-MINUTE FLIGHT TOOK PLACE

LANDING ON A SMALL PAD JUST ON

THE WEST SIDE OF THE CAMPUS.

THE DRONE HAS ABOUT A THREE-

FOOT WING SPAN AND CAN CARRY UP

TO FIVE POUNDS.

ONCE THE SHORT FLIGHT PROVES

RELIABLE, THE HOSPITAL HOPES TO

FLY LAB SAMPLES IN FROM REMOTE

AREAS AS WELL.

>> THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS

USING THE TECHNOLOGIES AND THE

METHOD THAT'S WE HAVE NOW,

COURIERS, VEHICLES, FIRST OF

ALL IT IS HIGHLY INEFFICIENT

BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY SYSTEM

WE HAVE AVAILABLE.

WE'RE OFTEN SHIPPING ONE OR TWO

SAMPLES IN A TRUCK.

THAT IS NOT AN EFFICIENT WAY TO

DO THINGS.

>> UPS AND MANNER NET HAVE

TEAMED UP TO OPERATE THE DRONE

FLIGHTS WHILE THE F.A.A. AND

THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT

OF TRANSPORTATION WILL CONTINUE

TO MONITOR THE PROGRAM.

WAKE MED WAS THE FIRST HOSPITAL

IN THE COUNTRY TO HAVE THIS

TYPE OF PROGRAM.

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