Drone delivery could be the future of disaster relief on Ocracoke

MOTHER AND TOOK THE CUB

NICKNAME TAMARAC TO LAKE TAHOE

WILDLIFE CARE WHERE HE IS

RECOVERING.

>>> THE REMOTENESS OF THE OUTER

BANKS IS ONE OF THE QUALITIES

THAT MAKE THE CHAIN OF ISLANDS

SO APPEALING.

WHEN DISASTER STRIKES, GETTING

HELP TO PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE

IS TOUGH.

BRIAN SHRADER SHOWS US THE NEW

TECHNOLOGY THAT COULD MAKE IT

EASIER FOR COMMUNITIES TO

RECOVER.

>> Reporter: SEPTEMBER 2019,

SKYE 5 FLIES OVER THE ISLAND AS

HURRICANE DORIAN PULLS AWAY.

THE STORM SURGE SWAMPED MUCH OF

THIS ISLAND FLOODING BUILDINGS

AND KNOCKING OUT POWER AND

DAMAGING ROADS.

THE ISLAND IS ACCESSIBLE ONLY

BY BOAT OR AIRCRAFT.

THE STATE SENT SUPPLIES BY

HELICOPTER AND PRIVATE BOAT

OWNERS BROUGHT WHAT THEY COULD.

>> THAT HELPED US OUT A LOT.

BUT THE BIG STUFF, PALLETS OF

MR E, WATER AND STUFF LIKE THAT

WOULD HAVE TO COME ACROSS ON

THE FERRY.

>> Reporter: THAT TRIP CAN TAKE

ALMOST 3 HOURS.

THEY WANT TO CHANGE HOW THE

SUPPLIES ARE DELIVERED.

>> THINK ABOUT A BOEING 737.

>> Reporter: HE IS THINKING

ABOUT THE FUTURE OF AVIATION

AND ISOLATION OF THE OUTER

BANKS.

>> YOU HAVE A FERRY SERVICE.

WOULDN'T IT MAKE SENSE FOR

THERE TO BE ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT

FLYING BACK AND FORTH

DELIVERING CARGO FOR PEOPLE?

>> Reporter: LAST WEEK THE

STATE JOINED WITH A LOGISTICS

COMPANY FOR A TEST FLIGHT OF A

CARGO CARRYING DRONE.

IT SUCCESSFULLY FLEW A ROUND-

TRIP BETWEEN HATTERAS ISLAND

AND OCRACOKE.

THE PAYLOAD WAS SMALL.

>> A CHOCOLATE MUFFIN, SPACE

BLANKETS AND A FIRST-AID KIT.

>> Reporter: IT COULD BE AN

EARLY STEP TO RECOVERY AFTER

STORMS.

>> WE USE DRONES FOR SEARCH AND

RESCUE AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

I DEFINITELY SEE IN THE FUTURE

US RELYING ON DRONES A LITTLE

BIT MORE.

>> Reporter: BRIAN SHRADER,

WRAL NEWS AT RDU INTERNATIONAL.

>> THESE SMALL DRONES COULD BE