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Drones & Droids: Zipline’s Rapid Deliveries

Episode 4 of the With Intent Podcast is Available Now

October 29, 2024

Zipline Drone Delivery

In the latest episode of With Intent, hosts Thamer Abanami and Albert Shum explore how Zipline is transforming access to healthcare, particularly in underserved areas where critical gaps persist.

THE ZIPLINE IMPACT IN RWANDA

67%
67 Percent Decrease in Blood Expiration Rates
75%
75 Percent of Blood Delivered Outside of the Capital by 2019
We are looking at three things really coming together: It's about people, it's about technology, it's about the innovations in between, to make things work to improve people's lives. The moment you make one step forward and you see there is progress, then you even want to do more every time, at every stage.
—Paul Kagame, President, Rwanda

A GLOBAL LOGISTICS INNOVATION

A Zipline delivery

Zipline launched its operations in Rwanda in 2016, initially serving 21 hospitals. By 2019, they were delivering 75 percent of the country’s blood supply outside the capital, reducing blood wastage and maternal deaths.

But this issue extends far beyond Rwanda. Over 4 billion people worldwide live in rural areas with limited healthcare access, leading to preventable deaths due to a lack of medical supplies.

Founded in 2014 by Keller Renaudo Cliffton and Keenan Wyrobek, Zipline set out to solve these logistical challenges by developing autonomous drones capable of delivering medical supplies to hard-to-reach areas.

Zipline now operates in Ghana, Japan, the United States, and other countries, partnering with retailers like Walmart and expanding their delivery scope to include retail and various medical supplies.

A map of areas served by Zipline drone delivery of healthcare and medical supplies.
We asked ourselves, what would delivery look like if we reimagined it to be 10 times as fast, zero emission, and accessible to everyone on Earth? That kind of logistics system would save lives and reshape global commerce. That seemed so incredibly important that we had to at least try to build it.
—Keller Rinaudo Cliffton, Co-Founder and CEO, Zipline
1
1-Minute Delivery Windows
10x
10 Times the Speed of Car Deliveries
0
Zero Emissions from Fully Electric, Battery-Powered Aircrafts
88m
88 Million Miles Flown By Zipline Drones
1.2m
1.2 Million Deliveries Completed Worldwide
13m
13 Million Items Delivered Worldwide

See How Zipline Works

This 5-minute video demonstrates how Zipline works from a process and logistics perspective. It also underscores its important impact.

With Intent podcast: Zipline Healthcare Access Solution

Zipline demonstrates the power of practical problem-solving in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges.

This season of With Intent explores some of the most groundbreaking design solutions in recent history, inspired by ID’s award-winning list of 100 Great Designs of Modern Times (originally featured in Fortune magazine).

Zipline is #69 on that list.

Listen to Season 3: Episode 4 of With Intent now to learn more about Zipline’s innovative drone design, as well its embrace of regulation.

Make sure you click “Follow” on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to get notifications about new episodes.

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