Drone Maker Zipline Adds Vitamins, Pizzas and Prescriptions to Cargo: On Track for 1 Million Deliveries

Drone delivery company, Zipline, is expanding its offerings beyond medical supplies and blood. The California-based company, which currently operates in Africa, is now adding vitamins, pizzas and prescriptions to its cargo. Zipline has made around 350,000 life-saving deliveries so far and is on track to hit one million deliveries by 2025.

Zipline was founded in 2014 and has since tackled some of the most challenging logistics in the world, using drones to deliver medical supplies to rural areas in Rwanda, Ghana and Tanzania. The company is now aiming to expand its offerings beyond medical supplies and blood, and hopes to provide helpful items including over-the-counter medication and vitamins.

The firm believes that adding these products will help to make a real difference in communities that lack access to basic necessities. They hope to use their technology to deliver resources needed for daily living, such as vitamins and over-the-counter medication, to people who otherwise might not have access to these products.

Zipline is well known for its expertise in delivering life-saving supplies efficiently. As the company expands into new markets and begins delivering more consumer-focused products, they hope to increase their efficiency even further. The firm is building a new drone called Nimble One, which will be faster, more versatile and capable of carrying heavier loads.

Zipline Co-Founder, Keenan Wyrobek, spoke with CNBC about the company’s mission to make drone deliveries more widespread. Wyrobek believes that delivering basic necessities by drone could help to address supply chain issues in areas where access to resources is limited. By building a more efficient supply chain, companies like Zipline can make deliveries faster, more reliable and less expensive.

In addition to expanding its product offerings, Zipline is working to launch its services in other countries. The firm recently announced plans to start delivering medical supplies in Japan, and is also seeking regulatory approval to begin operating in Ghana. With its innovative technology and life-saving mission, Zipline looks set to play a key role in shaping the future of drone deliveries.