In the remote areas of northern Uruguay, technological innovation has been helping ensure mothers and babies remain healthy by sending breast milk via drone over the past three months. And the people working on this innovative project believe it can serve as a global model for overcoming healthcare accessibility challenges in remote areas.

Dronfies Labs by CIELUM – with support from the UNICEF Venture Fund – is piloting use of drones to transport medicines, blood samples and donated breast milk from Tacuarembó Hospital to the rural communities of Tambores, Curtina, and Ansina. The unmanned battery-powered drones navigated by trained pilots from a base at the hospital deliver up to 3 kilograms and 15 liters of medical supplies to areas within a flight range of 100 kilometers.