Zipline Rwanda Drone Delivery
Zipline Rwanda Drone Delivery is a service launched in Muhanga, Rwanda, on October 14, 2016, in which Zipline's fixed-wing drones deliver blood to hospitals, described at launch as the world's first national drone delivery service.
What happened and why it matters
Zipline's Rwanda launch was the first drone delivery operation at national scale, and it remains a reference point for drone delivery in US retail and healthcare. The service started with up to 150 on-demand blood deliveries a day to 21 transfusion facilities in western Rwanda. Hospitals ordered by text message, and drones with a range of about 150 kilometers dropped packages by parachute, usually within about 30 minutes. It worked because the loads were small, urgent, and hard to move by road. For fulfillment, drones suit light, valuable, time-critical items within a limited radius, not bulky everyday orders.