Q&A: How Will The Cherokee Nation Drone Project Deliver Medical Supplies?

Cherokee Nation is getting more than $1.4 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to launch the first phase of a new project for their health services.

It will pay for drones that will deliver medical supplies and medicine to nurses who work in rural areas.

Why did Cherokee Nation Health Services get this grant?

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced over $130 million in grant awards for 42 technology demonstration projects through the Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants Program.

How will the drones be used for Cherokee Health Services? 

If a nurse is working out the field in a rural area with a patient who is not able to leave their home, and the patient needs medical equipment or medicine they don't have, a nurse can call the Outpatient Health Center in Tahlequah, where the drones will be housed, and a pilot will send a drone their way with the supplies they need. 

"A drone doesn't have to navigate road traffic, these drones can fly point to point and get that medication there far faster than if they were going by ground vehicles," Brian Hail with Cherokee Nation Health Services said.

Where will the drones fly?

So far, they will fly in the area of the outpatient health center in Tahlequah within a 3-to-5-mile radius.  

When will this project start and how long will it last?

Hail said it will start in early January and last a year and a half..

How much weight can one of these drones carry?

Up to ten pounds.

Who will fly the drones?

Cherokee Nation Health Services partnered with the company, Drone Up, to operate and fly the drones during phase one.

Has the tribe partnered with anyone else for the program?

The tribe is also working with OSU Medical and OSU's Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education. 

What is phase two?

Cherokee Nation says if phase one is successful then the tribe will get more federal funding to make it a permanent resource.

What economic impact will it have?

"We'll need people to support the operation of the drones, as well as pilot the drones (in phase two), not only is it going to create more resilience within our community's healthcare system it's also going to bring hopefully a lot of opportunities," said Hail. 

Where else will the drones fly?

Cherokee Nation Health Services plans to fly drones from Three Rivers health center in Muskogee, and the Wilma P. Mankiller Health Center in Stillwell.

"We believe this drone delivery project can really help improve the overall health infrastructure here and in this round of communities we intend to serve its going to improve our capability to adapt to future challenges to recover and thrive while making our communities more resilient," Hill said.