Kigali 14 Oct - (ANA) - What is being hailed as the world's first commercial regular drone delivery service is beginning drop-offs in Rwanda. The operation uses fixed-wing drones that automatically fly to destinations in the central African nation. They release small packages attached to parachutes without needing to land at the delivery points before returning. The technology promises to make deliveries much faster than had previously been possible by road. Zipline - the US start-up running the project - is made up of engineers who formerly worked at Space X, Google, Lockheed Martin and other tech companies. Its drones will initially be used to deliver blood, plasma, and coagulants to hospitals across rural western Rwanda, helping to cut waiting times from hours to minutes. The aircraft are launched from a catapult and fly below 500ft (152m) to avoid the airspace used by passenger planes. The drones are powered by a nose-mounted battery and guide themselves using GPS location data. They send back information to both their base and to Rwandan air traffic control via a cellular connection. To begin with, 15 "zips" will fly round the clock and in up to 30km/h (19mph) winds and light rain if necessary.

(ANA)

FA/ANA/14 October 2016----