UPS, Swoop Aero partner in Malawi medical drone deliveries

Australian logistics and on-demand drone delivery specialist Swoop Aero has struck a partnership with global parcel giant UPS to expand and accelerate its distribution of healthcare supplies in Malawi, and over time elsewhere in the world.

Melbourne-based Swoop Aero said it will be getting support from the UPS Foundation to scale drone deliveries of vaccines and other medical products across Malawi, and expand its reach to increasing numbers of remote communities that healthcare services cannot routinely provide for. Joining in that effort will be global non-governmental organization VillageReach, which works to promote extension of medical care to underserved populations around the world.

The collective effort aims to boost Swoop Aero’s drone delivery operations in Malawi that it began in 2019. That year it started with USAID as part of the Global Health Supply Chain Program to transport medical supplies for HIV/AIDS patients. The following year it teamed up…