The Company Zipline has created what is known as the fastest delivery drone in the world. It can reach up to 80 MPH and fly 100 miles at a time, it can also hold 3.8 pounds. Zipline has been using these drones in a system to deliver blood in Rwanda and Tanzania. Zipline now plans to deliver blood in America as well. The company needs to get approval from the FAA in order to fly their drones commercially, but hope to get started soon. The drones are assembled, a new battery pack is fitted onto them, they are given the correct blood type to deliver. They are then launched with a catapult and can fly for up to 15 hours at a time.
This relates to engineering, because the drones were engineered to be fast, as well as strong enough to carry blood packs over long distances. Transferring blood in rural areas is difficult for most countries, but the use of drones is very efficient and can supply a lot of extra blood to hospitals. Hopefully Zipline can get approval to set up a network for supplying blood in America soon.
Link to original article: https://www.wired.com/story/zipline-drone-delivery-reno-faa/
Image: Drone dropping off blood
