The Goondiwindi drone trial is underway
Rural residents in the Goondiwindi region are no longer making the long drive to town for their medications – instead, they’re looking skyward.
That’s because the region has become the first in Australia to trial deliveries of medications via an autonomous drone.
Pilot flights have just taken off, with Goondiwindi Regional Council encouraging on-farm residents within a 40km radius of the Goondiwindi Aerodrome to get on board with the program.
Goondiwindi Regional Council Mayor Lawrence Springborg AM said the drone project will put the Goondiwindi region on the map as the birthplace of a burgeoning new frontier of aviation technology.
“This technology has endless potential to provide improved rural services not just in healthcare, but in other areas such as veterinary services or agricultural parts supply,” Mayor Springborg said.
“We encourage as many residents as possible to take part in the trial to give our community the best shot of having this service continue.”
TerryWhite Chemmart Goondiwindi pharmacist Lucy Walker conducted a drone demonstration to local businesses at a Goondiwindi Region Innovation Network (GRIN) event last week.
Mayor Springborg said it was great to see a range of different businesses that were keep to learn more and explore potential opportunities for their own industries.
“This is one wonderful example of the many different types of innovation happening in the Goondiwindi Region,” he said.
Mayor Springborg added that the technology could have a potentially important role to play during disasters.
“To have a drone to provide deliveries of medicines could be of critical importance in situations where access is limited, such as what we saw in the recent flood event with many residents cut off from town,” he said.