U.S. backs Zipline with $150M for drone delivery in Africa

Zipline, a drone delivery company operating across four continents, has partnered with the U.S. Department of State to expand its medical supply delivery service in Africa. The State Department is providing up to $150 million under a pay-for-performance model to help Zipline build new infrastructure, potentially tripling the number of hospitals and health facilities served from 5,000 to 15,000. This expansion aims to give up to 130 million people rapid access to essential medical supplies such as blood and medications. Zipline’s CEO, Keller Rinaudo Cliffton, emphasized the partnership as a way to leverage American innovation and technology to improve health outcomes and create skilled local jobs, as each new hub is staffed entirely by local employees. Zipline addresses critical public health challenges in Africa by overcoming slow and unreliable logistics that often result in stockouts or spoiled supplies. In some regions, delivery times for medical orders have been reduced from an average of 13 days to under 30 minutes. The company’s