American drone company Zipline has begun delivering medicine in Japan

A drone flies to make a delivery at a Zipline hub in Vobsi, Ghana, in this photo provided by Zipline in 2021. Zipline, an American company that specializes in delivering medical supplies using autonomously flying drones, has launched in Japan. Image: AP

Zipline is a US company that specializes in delivering medical supplies using self-flying drones and has launched in Japan.

They'll be delivering to pharmacies and hospitals across the tiny Goto Islands, off the western coast of Kyushu in southwestern Japan, beginning Thursday.

Other parts of Japan, including urban areas, may follow through with isolated rural areas that have the greatest need.

Zipline, which was founded six years ago, is already in operation in the United States, where it has partnered with Walmart Inc. to deliver other products as well as drugs. It also ships medical supplies to Ghana and Rwanda.

It will launch in Japan in collaboration with Toyota Tsusho, a subsidiary of Japan's largest automaker Toyota Motor Corp.

"You can completely transform how you respond to pandemics, treat patients, and deliver home health care," Zipline Chief Executive Keller Rinaudo told The Associated Press.

Drones have been used in Japan for photography and aerial exhibitions, such as the Tokyo Olympics last year, but they are not widely used due to regulations, especially in urban areas. It's unclear whether Zipline's healthcare service will persuade skeptics.

A drone drops a package during a demonstration at Zipline's Northern California hub in 2021, as seen in this photo provided by Zipline. Zipline, an American company that specializes in delivering medical supplies using autonomously flying drones, has launched in Japan. Image: AP

Rinaudo is optimistic that the technology will be accepted in a country known for its robotics prowess and a large elderly population that requires better health care in rural areas.

Medical services are the priority because "getting that right first was a real moral imperative," he said.

"The importance of the service will be fully appreciated by the community. It was also easier to persuade regulators that what we were doing was acceptable when every flight had the potential to save human life "Rinaudo explained.

The service helps reduce stockpiles and, potentially, waste by delivering medicine precisely. According to Zipline, based in South San Francisco, California, the zero-emission quiet flights can travel up to 300 kilometers (186 miles) and are cost-effective when compared to other modes of transportation.

The coronavirus pandemic has made vaccine deliveries more critical than ever, according to Rinaudo. Zipline drones have also been used to deliver blood, insulin, and cancer treatment.

The operations will be carried out by a subsidiary called Sora-iina, which will manage a distribution center and flight services from Fukue Port on the Goto Islands. It's Asia's first distribution center and the world's 14th to use Zipline's "autonomous instant logistics" technology. Three major pharmaceutical distributors in Japan have agreed to collaborate.

Source