The hospital system partnered with drone-tracking startup Airspace Link and drone operator MissionGO to deliver packages via the uncrewed aircraft systems. The flight operation occurred June 13-24 in southeast Michigan and marked the first deliveries of their kind in the state.
“Drones offer the benefit of expedited, on-demand and contactless delivery,” said Melanie Fisher, vice president of supply chain operations for Beaumont Health, in a June 27 Airspace Link news release. “We are optimistic that drones could help us serve our patients.”
The Michigan Economic Development Corp. provided a grant for the project in the hopes of establishing a regional drone delivery network for medical supplies. The data collected from the operations will be used to analyze drones’ capacity to improve patient outcomes and reduce carbon emissions.