Zipline (drone delivery)

Zipline is an American medical product delivery company headquartered in South San Francisco, California that designs, manufactures, and operates delivery drones. The company operates distribution centers in Rwanda, Ghana, and the US. As of February 2021, its drones have flown more than 4 million miles and made nearly 400,000 deliveries in the last five years.
In addition to whole blood, the drones deliver platelets, frozen plasma and cryoprecipitate. As of May 2019, more than 65% of blood deliveries in Rwanda outside of Kigali use Zipline drones. In Ghana, the company began using drones in April 2019 to deliver vaccines, blood, and medicines. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted a Part 107 waiver to Novant Health in partnership with Zipline for the delivery of medical supplies and personal protective equipment to medical facilities in North Carolina.
Zipline is among ten drone delivery companies selected by the FAA to participate in a type certification program for delivery drones.
History.
The company was founded in 2011 as Romotive by Keller Rinaudo. Romotive produced an iPhone-controlled robotic toy called Romo.
In 2014, Romotive shut down, and the company refocused on delivering medical supplies using drones. Co-founders Keenan Wyrobek and William Hetzler joined at this time.
In 2016, the company signed a deal with the Rwandan government to build a distribution center near Muhanga. The distribution site opened later the same year, and was inaugurated in a ceremony with Rwandan president Paul Kagame.
In April 2018, Zipline announced a second-generation drone. This second-generation drone was listed in "Time"'s "Best inventions of 2018" list.
In April 2019, Zipline opened its first of four planned distribution centers in Ghana to supply 2,500 health facilities. The fourth Ghanaian distribution center became operational in June 2020.
In May 2019, Zipline raised $190 million on a post-money valuation of $1.2 billion.In September 2019, musician Bono joined the board. "Rural healthcare is a challenge in every country in the world, including in the United States," said Rinaudo. "You now see much bigger and wealthier countries like the US using Rwanda as a role model." Zipline was named to CNBC's 2018 (25th place), 2019 (39th place), and 2020 (7th place) Disruptor 50 list.
In November 2020, Zipline along with other manufacturers started the airworthiness certification with the FAA that would allow their "Sparrow" model of plane to fly in America.
In February 2021 Zipline announced they were adding ultra-low temperature freezers to their distribution centers to allow them to deliver temperature-sensitive Covid-19 vaccines
May 2021, Bloomberg reported that Zipline will be delivering vaccines to Cross River State and Northern Kaduna State in Nigeria
Operation.
The company's drones are designed and manufactured in-house. Zipline also builds and operates their own distribution centers, which serve as both a drone airport and a fulfilment and warehousing facility.
Medical staff at remote hospitals and clinics place orders to Zipline. A Zipline fulfilment operator receives this order and prepares the medical products into a special delivery package with a parachute..
A Zipline flight operator then packs the medical products into a drone and performs pre-flight checks. The drone is then launched into flight with a supercapacitor-powered electric catapult launcher, with an acceleration from in 0.33 seconds. The drone then flies autonomously to its delivery site, while a remote pilot at each Zipline distribution center monitors all drones in flight. The drone descends to an altitude of before dropping the package under a paper parachute. A payload can land within a diameter landing zone. The drone then turns around and returns to the Zipline distribution center and lands by catching an arresting gear. A Zipline distribution center can deliver medical supplies reliably anywhere within , even accounting for mountainous terrain and severe weather.
Drone Specification.
The drone cruises at a speed of , ensuring deliveries are within 45 minutes and an altitude of above ground level. The drone can carry up to of cargo. Each distribution center is capable of making 500 deliveries per day. Zipline holds the record for the longest-range US-based commercial drone delivery flight of 
The drone features a quickly-replaced battery for rapid turnaround between flights. It has an inner carbon-fiber frame and an outer polystyrene shell. The wingspan has a length of .
It has dual propellers for redundancy and can fly safely with only one operating propeller or motor. In addition to each redundant system, a parachute can be deployed that will bring the drone to the ground if a larger set of faults occur. If the drone crashes, the outer components of the drone are frangible, breaking to release energy and impact the ground with less force.
Locations.
Ghana.
In April 2019, Ghana's president, Nana Akufo-Addo, announced the opening of a distribution center. Vice President Mahamudu
Bawumia launched the first Zipline drone to Tafo Hospital in Ghana on April 24, 2019. This first delivery contained yellow fever vaccines to prevent stock-out. The drones will cover 500 health facilities within an range. The company has a contract with Ghana to make 600 deliveries a day for four years at the cost of about $12.5 million. Each distribution center will house 30 drones. It operates four distribution centers in Ghana.
In June 2019, oral rehydration salt was delivered by Zipline to treat 113 students of Mangoase Senior High School suffering from acute diarrhea. Within 20 minutes Zipline drone dispatched 125 doses of ORS.
India.
In September 2019, Maharashtra announced that Zipline would deliver emergency medicine throughout the country. The proposal deployment includes building 10 distribution centers to cover 120 million citizens.
Philippines.
In December 2019, Bono announced that Zipline would open three distribution centers in the Visayas, Philippines to cover hard-to-reach areas. 
Rwanda.
The company operates two distribution centers in Rwanda and began deliveries in Muhanga in late 2016. Rwanda has mountainous geography and poor road conditions making an aerial delivery system more efficient. The cost of delivery via drone is comparable to conventional means by road, especially in the cases of emergencies. A second drone launching site was added in December 2018 in Kayonza, in the eastern part of the country. The company hoped this would bring coverage to 80% of the country. Kayonza is in a busy area with other flights and military camps, which adds to the challenge of monitoring its drones. As of September 2019, the company had made 20,000 blood deliveries and flown more than . As of May 2019, more than 65% of blood deliveries in Rwanda outside of the capital city Kigali use Zipline drones. 
United States.
Zipline is working with the Federal Aviation Administration to develop rules for drones' operation beyond the line of sight.
Between July 30 and September 5, 2019, Zipline partnered with the US and Australian militaries, delivering over 400 mock blood supplies during mass casualty simulations.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Federal Aviation Administration granted a Part 107 waiver to Novant Health in partnership with Zipline for the delivery of medical supplies and personal protective equipment to medical facilities in North Carolina. The company plans to offer deliveries to people's homes. In September 2020, announced a trial with Walmart stores to deliver goods in the Arkansas area starting in 2021.
Nigeria.
In February 2021 Zipline announced a plan to construct three distribution centers in Kaduna State, Nigeria. These distribution centers would have ultra-cold storage capable of safely storing COVID-19 vaccines, which health facilities in the state could then place on-demand orders for, without needing ultra-cold storage of their own. The state also intends to use Zipline's service to transport other health products, including blood, medication, and routine vaccines.
Covid-19.
Zipline plans to start transporting COVID-19 vaccines in April, 2021 everywhere its drones currently operate and is adding ultra cold refrigerators at all of its distribution centers. Clinics should be able to receive vaccine doses at an ultra low temperature in less than an hour.
Investors.
As of May 2020, Zipline has raised $233 million.