Boots has become the first community pharmacy in the UK to transport prescription medicines by a drone.
The pharmacy multiple completed a test flight transporting prescription-only medicines by drone from Portsmouth to the Isle of Wight earlier this month.
The flight departed from the British Army's Baker Barracks on Thorney Island near Portsmouth and arrived at St. Mary's Hospital on the Isle of Wight. The medicines
were collected by Boots personnel and transported to the multiple's pharmacies across the island, where they will be dispensed to patients with prescriptions for them.
Boots worked with medical drone start-up Apian to facilitate the test flight and is now assessing the future potential for drones in medicines delivery.
Rich Corbridge, chief information officer at Boots, said: "Drones have a huge potential in the delivery of medicines and it is incredibly exciting to be the first
community pharmacy in the UK to transport them in this way. An island location like the Isle of Wight seemed like a sensible place to start a trial of drones and
their value to the delivery of medicines to more remote locations is very clear.
Global instant logistics leader, Zipline is partnering with UK drone delivery startup, Apian Aero to launch a drone delivery programme of critical medical
supplies for the Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
The new service, expected to begin in the autumn of 2024, will see delivery of medical supplies to hospitals, GPs and care homes, using electric, autonomous drones.
Zipline announced the partnership on Sunday, and said drone delivery service will help provide timely access to prescription medicines, wound care products, joint
replacement implants, and other frequently ordered medical products, which could allow healthcare providers to reduce the number of cancelled procedures, and thus
decrease wait times.
Also, the expansion of the programme will help in creating local job opportunities in the region, it added.
The underwater vehicle was taken about 50 nautical miles (90 km) northwest of Subic Bay, Philippines, Thursday night, in a non-violent incident, said Capt. Jeff Davis, spokesman for the Pentagon.The event took place while civilian crew USNS Bowditch was recovering a pair of "naval gliders" that regularly collect information on water temperatures, salinity and sea clarity.