Drone Delivery May Eliminate Trips to Your Local Pharmacy in Michigan

Picking up medicine at the pharmacy could become a memory if drone delivery catches on. Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor is getting ready to start delivering meds right to patients' doors.

Partnership With Zipline

University of Michigan Medicine has developed a partnership with Zipline, a manufacturer of drones. Drone delivery will supposedly be quicker and better for the environment.

Dana Habers is the Chief Innovation Officer at U of M Health. She says the practice will be beneficial for patients who are being prescribed new medications.

"It's a 15-minute delivery window. Right now, our truck deliveries are packaged and sent within 48 hours," Habers tells CBS Detroit. "It allows new patients who are starting new treatments or therapies to get that drug in hand almost the minute they get home from their clinic visit."

Habers goes on to say that drone delivery will reduce carbon emissions by about 97% compared to conventional truck deliveries.

Michigan Weather, Not a Problem

Since Michigan weather conditions can be brutal, but Habers notes that the drones are being designed to take on whatever weather Mother Nature can dish out.

Right now, the drones are being tested to make sure they will work safely and efficiently. If all goes well, medication delivered by drone will begin in 2024. U of M plans to start with a 10-mile radius from Michigan Medicine's Dexter facility and hopes to expand beyond that.

Habers notes that Michigan Medicine is very excited to begin offering this service to patients.