Zipline is the type of business I enjoy writing about.

Founded in 2011, it solves a big problem in the medical supply chain. Most hospitals struggle with timely deliveries of medical essentials. Mainly because of the traffic or reach problem. If a hospital in a remote area needs a medical supply urgently, it’ll have to wait for hours. That’s where Zipline drones help.

They’re small and fast. 0 to 60 mph in a second. Yes, you heard it right. When lives are on the line, you need drones that can deliver. Right? They’re serving 5000 hospitals across 8 countries: Rwanda, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Cote d’lvoire, Japan, United States, and India.

They claim to have completed 1.4 million deliveries. That number clearly makes it one of the largest drone delivery networks in the world. During the recent pandemic, they played a crucial role in delivering vaccines.

A great business is defined by more than just financials; it’s also about its positive impact on people.

So, how does a Zipline drone work? They’re like tiny aircraft with wings. The best part? They don’t require landing. The main drone hovers about 300 feet from the ground and lowers a small droid containing the package via a tether. This entire system allows to deliver packages at pinpoint locations. Of course, GPS and sensors back the tech.

Following initial success in medical supply chains, they teamed up with Walmart and Chipotle to fulfill consumer orders in the US.

Delivery drones are the next big thing in logistics. So, retail and logistics firms globally are spending billions on drone technology research and development. Zipline’s advantage is its global reach, early entry (in 2011, autonomous drones weren’t even a buzzword), and its focus on innovation.

Google’s parent company, Alphabet, is making a big investment in Wing drones. Amazon, on the other hand, is testing its drone service called Amazon Prime Air.

The competition is only going to get only tougher.