Largest US retirement community to receive medication via drones

The Villages, the largest retirement community in the US, will receive the prescribed medicines through drones. UPS is working along with CVS to deliver prescribed medication to the largest community of the elderly citizens in Florida. The Villages is a community of more than 135000 residents. The new service aims to protect the CVS workers and elderly citizens from contracting the deadly COVID-19 infection.

CVS and UPS said that they would start the new service in The Villages in May. According to the companies, the first flights will cover less than one-half mile. The medication will be delivered to a location near the retirement community. A ground vehicle will deliver the medicines to the doorsteps of the residents initially.

According to UPS, drone transport will deliver the medicines quickly to time-sensitive locations. The company said that a new service would support social distancing efforts. Scott Prince, the chief strategy and transportation office of UPS, said, “Our new drone delivery service will help CVS provide safe and efficient deliveries of medicines to this large retirement community.”

Prince added that the new service would allow the residents to receive the necessary medication without leaving their homes. According to the companies, Matternet’s M2 drone system will be used to deliver the medicines. The companies will follow the Part 107 rules issued by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The companies said that they would be authorized to perform their operation during the pandemic to fulfill the ongoing needs. Job Roberts, the chief operating officer and executive vice president of CVS Health, said, “Now more than ever, it’s important that our customers have access to their prescriptions.” Roberts admired the drone delivery service and called it an “innovative solution to reach some of the customers” in the time of need.