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Drone deliveries, as a concept, can address numerous challenges in modern e-commerce, from slow delivery times to ensuring the safe transportation of products. In a recent development, Amazon has announced the expansion of its Prime Air drone delivery service to include prescription deliveries in College Station, Texas, granting customers access to over 500 commonly prescribed medications for conditions such as flu, asthma, and pneumonia.
According to Amazon, this service will enable customers to receive their medications within an hour of placing an order, with no additional charges. Furthermore, the drones will operate at altitudes ranging from 40 to 120 meters, thus helping to avoid obstacles.
How would the deliveries work?
When a customer places an order, and the company dispatches their medication, the drone, upon reaching the customer’s location, descends to a predetermined marker. However, for safety purposes, the drone is equipped with an array of cameras and sensors that provide it with spatial awareness. This ensures that the drones can navigate safely and avoid collisions with people, pets, and overhead power lines.
“We’re taught from the first days of medical school that there is a golden window that matters in clinical medicine. That’s the time between when a patient feels unwell and when they’re able to get treatment. We’re working hard at Amazon to dramatically narrow the golden window from diagnosis to treatment, and drone delivery marks a significant step forward,” said Dr. Vin Gupta, Chief Medical Officer of Amazon Pharmacy.
Amazon’s journey
Amazon’s journey with drone deliveries hasn’t been smooth, as despite making its first delivery in 2016, the service has not yet become mainstream. Additionally, even though the FIA granted the company permission to begin trials in 2020, Amazon has not received extended approval, as it requires hundreds of incident-free flight hours and the company has only completed 100 deliveries so far.
However, the introduction of drone deliveries for prescription medications could be a breakthrough for Amazon. This is because swift delivery is crucial in the case of medications, and it caters to individuals who are unwell and unable to collect their prescriptions in person.