MD to test drone delivery for medical packages on Eastern Shore

Maryland has received federal funding to help start a pilot program on the Eastern Shore in which drones will deliver medical packages to people living in areas where a lack of transportation has hindered health care access, the governor’s office said Tuesday.

The state Department of Planning program will include drone deliveries between Crisfield and Smith Island, home to several hundred residents who can only reach the mainland by using commercial boat services, according to the governor’s office.

The state has reportedly begun reaching out to Smith Island residents and started the procurement process to contract with a company that will provide and fly the drones.

The state will also select a local health care provider that will help coordinate the medical and pharmaceutical deliveries.

“This project will not only advance new innovative approaches to providing support for ongoing needs, it will also advance how these technologies may be used in resiliency planning and reaching hard to reach places after disaster recovery,” Department of Planning Secretary Rebecca Flora said in a statement.

The department is also hoping to reduce the time that health care workers may spend traveling to reach homebound patients.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has granted the state $1.76 million as part of the federal Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) grant program, which helps state, local and tribal governments pay for demonstration projects meant to improve transportation efficiency and safety.

Under the federal program, applicants like the state Department of Planning initially seek planning and prototyping grants, which are capped at $2 million and cover an 18-month period.

The department can then apply for a grant of up to $15 million covering three years to help pay for implementing the drone program.

Gov. Wes Moore said in a statement that the funding will “strengthen our capacity to support our rural communities and presents an important opportunity to learn more about how enhanced technology can be deployed to serve those in need.”

While the state Department of Planning will oversee grant funding, the University of Maryland UAS (unmanned aircraft systems) Research and Operations Center will serve as the project manager and technical lead.

“Pioneering the use of UAS for medical deliveries in Maryland, we will set the stage for expansion as new FAA rules come into place that will facilitate regionalizing these services not only within the state but even across state lines,” John Slaughter, the center’s director, said in a statement.

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s aviation science program and pharmacy school will also be partners in the project.