Drones to help people abide by stay-at-home orders, free up hospital personnel for crucial tasks

The state Department of Transportation has agreed to allow firms to use drones to deliver medical supplies and food during the coronavirus outbreak.
Posted 4/23/2020, 12:46:00 AM Updated 4/23/2020, 12:48:55 AM

WE ARE MONITORING THAT.

YOU CAN WATCH IT ON THE AIR

WHEN IT BECOMES.

>>> THE STATE D.O.T.

WANTS TO USE ITS DRONE PROGRAM

TO HELP FIGHT COVID-19.

THE AGENCY ANNOUNCED AN

INITIATIVE TO HELP DELIVER

MEDICAL SUPPLIES TO LOCAL

HOSPITALS AND FOODS TO VARIOUS

NEIGHBORHOODS.

WRAL'S KEN MITT IS HERE WITH

MORE.

>> THIS IS ALL ABOUT USING THE

TECHNOLOGY TO EASE THE BURT EN

ON HOSPITALS AND HELP NEIGHBORS

PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING.

IT STARTS WITH THE MEDICAL

PIECE OF THIS INITIATIVE.

UPS IS FLYING DRONES WEEKLY

DELIVERING MEDICAL SPECIMENS TO

WAKE MED.

THIS IS A PUBLIC-PRIVATE

PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN NC DOT AND

COMPANIES LIKE UPS TO EXPAND

THE DRONE DELIVERY SYSTEM HERE.

THIS IS A MAJOR WAY THAT THE

STATE DOT IS TRYING TO HELP

DURING THIS CRISIS.

>> ANY TIME WE CAN EXPAND AN

OPERATION WHERE WE CAN HELP

WITHOUT THE LOGISTICS SYSTEM AS

THE MOVING OF SUPPLIES, MEDICAL

EQUIPMENT OR EVEN

PHARMACEUTICAL, IF WE CAN HELP

RELIEF THAT BY USING THE

DRONES, THAT HELPS FREE UP

FOLKS ON THE GROUND TO HELP

WITH THAT WORKLOAD.

>> ANOTHER WAY THAT THIS

PROGRAM WILL HELP IS WITH FOOD

DELIVERY.

HE SAYS THAT DRONES WILL

DELIVER FOOD FROM NEAR WHICH

RESTAURANTS TO VARIOUS NOODLES.

THE TOWN IS ALREADY WORKING

WITH AGENCY PARTNERS TO LUNCH

THE OPERATION.

THE FOOD DELIVERY WILL HELP

WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING.

PEOPLE CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT

THIS PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP

IN AN ONLINE FOR YUM SET FOR

FRIDAY.

WE HAVE AN NCDOT LINK.

GO TO WEBSITE FOR MORE.

© WRAL