CVS Pharmacy and United Parcel Service's Flight Forward subsidiary successfully used drones to deliver prescription drugs to two customers' homes Nov. 1.
The drones launched from a CVS store in Cary, N.C., and flew to the homes of CVS Pharmacy customers.
The drones flew autonomously but were monitored by a remote operator who could intervene if necessary. The drones hovered about 20 feet over the customers' homes and slowly lowered packages by a cable and winch to the ground.
One of the deliveries was to a CVS customer with limited mobility, which makes it difficult for them to travel to a store to get their prescriptions.
UPS has also partnered with AmerisourceBergen to deliver drugs and medical supplies to hospitals. The company began testing drones for transporting medical supplies at Raleigh, N.C-based WakeMed Health and Hospitals earlier this year.