UPS has announced plans to deliver life-saving materials on the University of Utah campus after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded the company’s subsidiary, Flight Forward, a Part 135 Standard certification. This was the first of its kind for a commercial provider and a watershed moment for Utah.
Similar to its delivery service at North Carolina’s WakeMed hospital, “Flight Forward will work with new customers in other industries to design additional solutions for a wide array of last-mile and urgent delivery challenges,” says UPS Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer Scott Price.
It is anticipated that drone deliveries will significantly reduce crucial wait times for vital medical materials, reduce traffic congestion, and improve air quality. “It’s extremely exciting that we are on track to launch Utah’s first functioning drone delivery program,” said University of Utah Hospital’s and Clinics CEO Gordon Crabtree. “Not only are we committed to providing innovative and quality care to our patients, but we are committed to improving Utah’s air quality by being on the forefront of this new technological frontier.”
