For a bit of good news, the continent of Africa has slowly – but surely – started using drones to deliver their medical supplies. This can help bridge the distance between their health centers and hospitals, to the rural stations that need the supplies the most.
In a previous article, we talked about the importance of delivery drones when it comes to transporting medical supplies in Africa. These drones transport essential items such as medicine, first aid, and even blood.
Now, a third country in Africa has embraced the rise of the drones in an attempt to improve their hospitals and clinics. While this may not seem like much, look at it as a start of a domino effect that can hopefully get things rolling in the continent.
Ethiopia Medical Drone Transport
The country of Ethiopia joins Rwanda and Malawi in the exclusive club of medical delivery drone users in the continent of Africa. For Ethiopia, this is a major victory, as they themselves created the drone they are using. The drone does not have a catchy name, but it does come with a solid workup. It can carry up to 5 kilograms of cargo, which is enough for most medical supplies. It has a working range of 150 kilometers, and it can fly at an altitude of 5000 meters at the speed of 120 km per hour.
In today’s world where medical supplies can mean the difference between life and death, drones are the key. They can fly at fast speeds, are never stuck in traffic, and today’s autonomous drones do not need a person constantly controlling their movement. For the most part, it is a great way of using technology to fill in the gaps in current problems.
For Africa, the problem has always been distance. A lack of consistent and reliable transport between the far-flung areas can cause great damage in the health of the people. With drones, time between a rural clinic requesting medicine and them getting it can now be hours away. This can save many lives in the end.
Now, Ethiopia plans even more drones in the near future. By the end of next year, they hope to add at least another 20 more drones in their arsenal. All equipped to carry medical supplies from their big cities to the farther and more rural areas.
