[twoplanekid]

And I quote “America's largest retirement community can soon receive their prescriptions from CVS via a UPS drone delivery service”

Read all about it here -> UPS to deliver CVS meds via drone for largest US retirement community - Business Insider

[Stu from NYC]

Sounds like fun but hope the drone doesnt crash land into someones house

[karostay]

Covert operation..truth is they will be conducting social distancing surveillance

[Topspinmo]

So drugs being dropped from the air, now the methheads, crack heads, druggie’s will be plucking them out like catching butterflies!

[stadry]

UPS plans drone deliveries of medicine to Florida retirement community

[twoplanekid]

Just received by me->


The following is being forwarded to you at the request of Richard Baier....


Dear Board of Supervisors, Board of Directors and Committee Members,

Please be aware that CVS and UPS will be profiling a service for medical package delivery by drone within The Villages. I have urged them (and they have indicated as much) to coordinate with Sumter County as they will be utilizing private Church property for such home delivery. Please know I am providing this information to you as an FYI as the Districts have no authority over the transport of such goods, however, you may get questions from residents. As indicated this service is to commence on or about May 7.

Richard

[Lottoguy]

If it hits my palm tree, do I get to keep the pills? Asking for a friend...

[CFrance]

It's going to scare the heck out of my elderly Driveway Dog. And it probably doesn't bring dog cookies.

[Madelaine Amee]

I'm not too keen on the idea of having my drugs drop from the sky .............. but, until I fully understand how the delivery will be made I will not comment.

[bumpygreens]

If my golf ball hits a drone, will I get a Mulligan?

[Goldwingnut]

UPS reached out to me in early March on this idea looking for information and some direction with The Villages. I had the pleasure of meeting with Fred Lopez the Director of Engineering for UPS Flight Forward Inc. several weeks ago to discuss this new venture and delivery here in The Villages. We spent the entire day riding driving around The Villages and surrounding areas discussing their plans, strategies, and the technologies needed to implement this delivery model. We also discussed the structure, governance, and political aspects of The Villages and how it differs from any other community in the country.

There are many aspects of this I don't feel it is appropriate to discuss publicly yet but I will share with everyone the basics.

UPS plans to launch their aircraft from a maned site adjacent to a CVS store. The aircraft would carry a package with multiple prescriptions for customers in a general area. The aircraft would fly over uninhabited areas to a given location and lower the package to an awaiting UPS employee. The final mile for delivery would be done by the person receiving that package to the various customers.

The aircraft would not land due to additional FAA constraints. The aircraft would not deliver directly to a person's home, there are many reasons for this safety and privacy being primary. The aircraft would not be flying over homes or occupied areas for safety reasons.

My overall impression of the response received by UPS from the district and developer was less than enthusiastic. I guess if the developer isn't in control and not getting a cut there is no support from them or the strings they pull, this is consistent with my own observations.

Will this be successful? Hard to say, there are a lot of kinks details to be worked out as well as determining the economic feasibility and viability of the concept. UAS deliveries will happen, that is inevitable, how long it takes to be successful will depend on both technology and the government bureaucracy response. My experience in the drone community is that the FAA is very sluggish and unyielding to paradigm changes and is extremely reluctant to let this technology move ahead as they will have near zero control as compared to current maned flights constraints.

It will be an interesting experiment to watch unfold.

[JoMar]

This is only the beginning.......more deliveries of other stuff will follow in the years ahead. Amazon has shown that people will pay for convienence.

[Fredman]

Originally Posted by bumpygreens

If my golf ball hits a drone, will I get a Mulligan?

No, i hit a goose and did not get one. Just a dead goose

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Fredman

No, i hit a goose and did not get one. Just a dead goose

My husband did that too, at a vendors' day outing, and the groundskeeper got really angry. He said Like my aim's good enough to do that on purpose!


The next year they let him drive the beer cart.

[dewilson58]

The drone drops it off and a delivery driver finishes the delivery to the door......what's the point????




The drones will drop off prescriptions to a location near the community and a truck finish the delivery, UPS said