Rwanda and Zipline launch the world’s first nationwide AI-powered medical drone logistics network

Rwanda and Zipline launch the world’s first nationwide AI-powered medical drone logistics network

Rwanda and Zipline have signed an expansion deal that makes Rwanda the first country in the world with full nationwide autonomous drone delivery coverage for health services. Zipline, the US-based autonomous drone logistics company, will scale autonomous medical delivery systems under a $150 million “pay-for-performance” funding from the US Department of State. The U.S. government is providing the upfront infrastructure funding through the U.S. Department of State’s multi-million-dollar award, while individual African governments Zipline is partnering with (in the case of Rwanda) are expected to commit to covering ongoing operational costs as part of the pay-for-performance model. Notably, the Rwanda–Zipline expansion agreement, according to TechCabal , triggers the release of US funding designed to scale Zipline’s AI-driven medical delivery infrastructure across Africa, after the company secured national expansion commitments from governments on the continent. The funding model is struc…