WakeMed makes first drone test flights

Swiss company Matternet began testing its delivery drones in Raleigh in a program operated by the North Carolina Department of Transportation and authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration
Posted 8/29/2018, 10:55:58 PM Updated 9/23/2025, 7:53:13 PM

>>> THERE WERE DRONES FLYING

TODAY.

>> OUR CAMERA CAPTURED THE

FIRST ROUND OF TESTING PHASES

WITH THE STRENGTH CARRYING

MEDICAL PACKAGES TO A HOSPITAL

BUILDING.

ADAM OWENS WAS THERE FOR THE

DEMONSTRATION AND JOINS US LIVE

NOW.

WHAT IS THE GOAL OF THIS?

>> Reporter: THE GOAL IS TO MAKE

DELIVERY OF MEDICAL TREATMENT

MUCH FASTER.

IF YOU FELT LIKE YOU SAW

SOMETHING FLYING OVER WAKE MED

EARLIER TODAY IT WAS NOT YOUR

IMAGINATION.

THOSE WERE DRONES UP IN THE SKY

. IT IS PART OF A PILOT PROGRAM

THAT COULD CHANGE THE WAY THIS

HOSPITAL AND HOSPITALS ACROSS

THE COUNTRY OPERATE.

>> WE HAVE JUST WITNESSED

PACKAGE DELIVERY OVER PEOPLE

AND THAT IS A BIG STEP.

>> THE FUTURE OF MEDICINE IS UP

IN THE AIR BUT IN A GOOD WAY.

THIS DRONE LANDED AT THE MAIN

HOSPITAL BUILDING A 1300 FOOT

FLIGHT [ INAUDIBLE-STATIC]

BUT A MOVE THAT MADE HISTORY.

>> IT REALLY HAS BEEN

FASCINATING SEEING THIS COMING

TOGETHER.

>> IT TOOK SEVERAL AGENCIES TO

MAKE IT HAPPEN AND IT COULD

CHANGE HOW MEDICAL TREATMENT IS

DELIVERED.

>> AND TAKES A LOT OF STUFF TO

TAKE CARE OF PATIENTS.

>> IN SOME CASES BLOOD SAMPLES

CAN TAKE AS LONG AS TWO HOURS.

A AND LIKE THIS ONE THEY SAY

WOULD CHANGE THAT DRAMATICALLY.

>> THAT REALLY OPENS UP A LOT

OF OPERATIONAL POSSIBILITIES

FOR US.

>> ONE OF THE HURDLES WAS

CONVINCING THE FAA IT COULD BE

DONE SAFELY OVER PEOPLE AND

TRAFFIC.

THAT IS CURRENTLY NOT ALLOWED

BY THE AGENCY AND THAT THE

TREND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO

COLLIDE WITH ANYTHING ELSE IN

THE AIR.

>> YOU CAN SEE THE AIRCRAFT

FLYING SO THAT HELPS US TO MAKE

THE DECISION I WENT TO LUNCH

THE DRONE.

>> PILOTING A DRONE OUT OF LINE

OF SIGHT AND MOVING HAZARDOUS

MATERIALS THROUGH THE AIR IS

SOMETHING THEY HAVE TO WORK OUT.

>> [ INAUDIBLE-STATIC]

>> THEY DO NOT WANT TO LET OFF

THE GAS ON THIS PROGRAM THOUGHT

THEY WANT TO MOVE SWIFTLY AHEAD

AND SEE THESE DRONES ALL AROUND

WAKE MED THE COMPANY PROVIDING

THIS DRONE SYSTEM FOR THESE

TRIALS TELL US THEY HAVE BEEN

OPERATING THESE FOR QUITE SOME

TIME DOING THESE TYPES OF

THINGS AND THEY SAY THEY HAVE A

GREAT SAFETY RECORD IN SWEDEN.

A MEETING WILL BE HELD TOMORROW

EVENING ON THE SCIENCE CAMPUS [

INAUDIBLE-STATIC]

THE PUBLIC IS ALLOWED TO DROP

IN AT ANY TIME.

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