• Zipline, a drone-based medical supply delivery company, has partnered with Magellan Rx Management, the full-service pharmacy benefits management (PBM) division of Magellan Health, to commence drone-based delivery of prescription medicine to patients in the US.

• The service will initially be launched in North Carolina this year, operating from Zipline’s distribution center in Kannapolis, North Carolina.

<ul><li> Analyst QuickTake: Zipline is one of the most advanced startups in the drone delivery space, having conducted more than 250,000 commercial deliveries to date—mostly in Africa, where its primary operations are. However, the company is gradually expanding its footprint in the US, with recent partnerships with companies including Cardinal Health, Intermountain Healthcare, and Walmart for various drone-based delivery projects in cities in North Carolina, Arkansas, and Utah. In addition, Zipline’s peers Volansi, Matternet, and Flytrex have also conducted various drone-based delivery operations in North Carolina.</ul>