Zipline Drone Delivery Network
The world's first national drone delivery service — saving lives across Africa with autonomous logistics.
Zipline operates the world's first and largest autonomous drone delivery network for medical supplies, initially launched in Rwanda in 2016 and expanded to Ghana in 2019. Using custom-designed fixed-wing drones capable of carrying 1.8 kg payloads over a range of 160 km round trip, Zipline delivers blood products, vaccines, medications, and other essential medical supplies to hospitals and health centres across the country within 30 minutes of an order. The company operates from distribution centres that can each serve an area of approximately 22,000 square kilometres. Zipline has completed over 1 million commercial deliveries across its operations, making it the world's most experienced drone delivery operator.
- 01Deliver essential medical supplies to every hospital and health centre in Rwanda and Ghana within 30 minutes
- 02Eliminate stockouts of critical blood products and medicines at remote health facilities
- 03Reduce medical waste by enabling on-demand delivery instead of overstocking at peripheral facilities
- 04Demonstrate the viability of drone logistics for healthcare in developing countries
- 05Expand autonomous delivery infrastructure to additional African countries and use cases
- 06Complete millions of deliveries per year, making drone logistics routine infrastructure
2016 · completed
Rwanda National Service Launch
Zipline launches the world's first national drone delivery service from its Muhanga distribution centre in Rwanda, initially delivering blood products to 21 hospitals.
2019 · completed
Ghana Operations Begin
Zipline expands to Ghana with four distribution centres, delivering blood, vaccines, and essential medications to over 2,000 health facilities across the country.
2020 · completed
COVID-19 Response Deliveries
Zipline delivers COVID-19 test samples, PPE, and later vaccines across Rwanda and Ghana, demonstrating drone logistics as critical pandemic response infrastructure.
2022 · completed
One Million Deliveries Milestone
Zipline surpasses one million commercial deliveries globally, with the majority in Rwanda and Ghana. Delivery reliability exceeds 99%.
2023 · completed
Platform 2 Drone Launch
Zipline unveils its next-generation Platform 2 autonomous delivery system, designed for both rural long-range and urban short-range delivery applications.
2025 · in progress
Further African Expansion
Zipline explores expansion to additional African markets while scaling operations in Rwanda and Ghana to cover broader categories of medical and commercial deliveries.
Infrastructure
Distribution Centres
Purpose-built facilities housing drone launch pads, inventory storage, and automated loading systems. Each centre can serve a radius of approximately 80 km.
Equipment
Drone Fleet
Fleet of custom-built fixed-wing Zip drones operating multiple flights per day from each distribution centre. Cruising speed of approximately 110 km/h.
Supply
Medical Inventory
Comprehensive stock of blood products (all types), vaccines (maintained in cold chain), essential medications, and medical supplies at each distribution centre.
Human Capital
Operations Team
Locally hired and trained operators, maintenance technicians, and logistics coordinators at each distribution centre.
Regulatory
Aviation Partnerships
Formal agreements with Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority and Ghana Civil Aviation Authority for BVLOS commercial drone operations.
- Custom fixed-wing autonomous drones (Zip) with 1.8 kg payload and 160 km round-trip range
- Catapult launch system requiring no runway — drones are accelerated to flight speed in under a second
- Precision parachute delivery system dropping packages into a target zone the size of two parking spaces
- Automated order management system integrated with hospital SMS and WhatsApp ordering
- GPS navigation with beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations under national aviation authority approval
- Next-generation Platform 2 (P2) drone capable of serving a wider range of last-mile delivery needs
What it means for the community
Zipline has fundamentally changed healthcare logistics in Rwanda and Ghana, ensuring that every health facility can access critical blood products, vaccines, and medications within 30 minutes regardless of distance or road conditions. The service has prevented countless deaths from postpartum haemorrhage and other conditions requiring urgent blood transfusion. In Rwanda alone, Zipline serves 12 million people — the entire population — with instant access to medical supplies. The success in Africa has made Zipline the blueprint for drone delivery systems worldwide and has attracted over $400 million in investment.
- Zipline International Inc. — US-based company co-founded by Keller Rinaudo Cliffton