Medications delivered by drone in British Columbia

SALT SPRING ISLAND, B.C. – In August, Canada Post, in partnership with London Drugs and InDro Robotics, successfully completed Canada’s first-ever Beyond Visual Line-of-Sight (BVLOS) flight carrying pharmaceuticals via Drone from a London Drugs pharmacy to remote Salt Spring Island in British Columbia.

Canada Post was selected along with InDro Robotics in 2018 to participate in Transport Canada’s BVLOS Drone Trials. The proposal focused on testing BVLOS capabilities over open water and partnering to test the delivery of prescription medications to remote areas.

There were three parts to the August 19 trials including delivery of an Epi pen (Epinephrine) and Narcan, leaving London Drugs’ mobile facility in Duncan, B.C. to the local Country Grocer on Salt Spring Island as well as direct, pin-pointed delivery to a patient’s home on Salt Spring Island.

“We are proud to have been selected to participate in the first trial of a Drone delivery of this kind in Canada,” said Chris Chiew, general manager of Pharmacy, London Drugs. “The ability to provide medications to patients in remote areas that would otherwise have to travel hours to obtain pharmacy service is significant in so many ways. In the very near future we will be able to provide delivery of prescription medications to an abundance of areas not accessible by vehicle.”

The operational data obtained from the August 19 trials will be used by Transport Canada to inform BVLOS regulations moving forward in Canada. As part of the ongoing testing, Canada Post is simulating deliveries over bodies of water, icy roads and challenging terrain to temporary camps and other remote locations.

“The delivery of prescription medications by drone to rural areas will be of great advantage to communities across the country including Northern Canada and to hospitals in remote communities where drones can land on hospital Heli pads,” said Philip Reece, CEO, InDro Robotics.

About London Drugs
Founded in 1945, London Drugs has 80 stores in more than 35 major markets throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba including its online store www.londondrugs.com. London Drugs offers consumers a range of products from digital cameras and cosmetics to computers and televisions. Renowned for its creative approach to retailing, the company employs more than 7,500 people with pharmacy and healthcare services being the heart of its business. Committed to innovation and superior customer service, London Drugs has established itself as a reputable and caring company and continues to position itself for future growth and development.

About InDro Robotics
InDro Robotics provides a full-range of remotely-piloted “unmanned” aerial, water and land robots as well as mission-specific sensor packages to address the rapidly growing industry of Drones. Our team of seasoned drone and manned aviation pilots, engineering team and industry specialist work together to ensure that we develop and deploy reliable solutions to complex missions such as Beyond Visual Line of sight, data collection and delivery of needed items by air. For more information, visit www.InDroRobotics.com.