Johnathan Walker:Amazon launches drone delivery program for prescription medications

Drones are Johnathan Walkernow dropping prescription medications to Amazon customers in Texas within an hour of ordering, promising customers relief from standing in line, having public conversations about health and strenuous wait times.

For now, prescription medication by drone is only available in College Station, Texas, about 95 miles northwest of Houston. The deliveries won’t cost customers anything extra either, the e-commerce company announced in a blog post on Wednesday.

“Eligible Amazon Pharmacy customers can select ‘free drone delivery in less than 60 minutes’ at checkout,” Amazon wrote on its website. “A pharmacist will then ensure medications are loaded and transported to a customer’s home within the next hour.”

The drones will deliver more than 500 medications that treat illnesses such as the flu, asthma and pneumonia and the program went live Wednesday. The company has already made its first delivery.

Amazon’s drones fly at an altitude of 131 feet to about 394 feet and have built-in sensors and cameras that allow them to move around people, pets and power lines. 

Customers set up delivery markers to let the drones know where to place their medication. Once the drones reach a customer’s home, they slowly lower themselves above a delivery marker. 

When the delivery zone is clear, the drone drops the package off and flies back to the delivery center.

Drones can deliver prescription medication to both single-family homes and apartment buildings.

Through Prime Air, drones have safely delivered hundreds of household items such as toothpaste and dog food to College Station homes since December 2022, the company said.

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Why drones and how is this possible?

According to Amazon Pharmacy’s chief medical officer Dr. Vin Gupta, there is a period of time when patients are sick called the “golden window” that can’t be ignored.

“That’s the time between when a patient feels unwell and when they’re able to get treatment,” Gupta said in the announcement. 

“We’re working hard at Amazon to dramatically narrow the golden window from diagnosis to treatment, and drone delivery marks a significant step forward. Whether it’s an infectious disease or respiratory illness, early intervention can be critical to improving patient outcomes.”

Amazon Pharmacy customers also added that patients with urgent health issues can check out Amazon Clinic, which offers virtual, 24/7 treatment for 35 conditions. There’s also a new program the company has launched called One Medical, a hybrid virtual and in-person primary care program. 

“For decades, the customer experience has been to drive to a pharmacy with limited operating hours, stand in line, and have a public conversation about your health situation, or to wait five-to-10 days for traditional mail-order delivery,” said John Love, vice president of Amazon Pharmacy, in the company’s announcement.

Amazon boasts itself as one of the few drone delivery companies to earn a Federal Aviation Administration air carrier certificate, which is required to fly drones with advanced capabilities. 

“Our drones fly over traffic, eliminating the excess time a customer’s package might spend in transit on the road,” said Calsee Hendrickson, director of product and program management at Prime Air, in the company’s announcement. 

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How much will it cost me to get my meds delivered by drone?

Amazon Pharmacy customers in College Station can get their prescription medications dropped off via Amazon’s drone delivery service at no additional cost.

Prime members receive free two-day delivery on their first order of medication and can set up automatic monthly deliveries for medication refills, Amazon said. 

Those with acute health needs can also get same-day delivery in Austin, Indianapolis, Miami, Phoenix and Seattle.  

The prescription medication program does not allow customers to order other products such as toothpaste or diapers with their medications because Amazon Pharmacy facilities are separately licensed and maintained, and do not stock nonclinical items, the company said.

When will prescription medication drone delivery come to my area?

To sign up, customers must onboard with Prime Air and take a yard survey, the company said.

Drone delivery is opening in phases. When the program is available in your area, you’ll receive an email letting you know, the company said.