Are drones finally ready for prime time? Can they deliver the goods? And how does this change delivery services around the globe?
We’re about to find out the answers to some of those questions as UPS recently announced that its drone airline, UPS Flight Forward, has received FAA certification to operate a drone airline. The service will initially support medical packages at hospital campuses around the country. The UPS drone has been in test mode for the past year at the WakeMed campus in Raleigh, N.C., where is has been delivering packages such as tissues and blood samples to different buildings on the campus.
UPS is not the first company to use drones to deliver medical supplies. Other companies outside of the U.S. have been using drones to deliver medical supplies such as vaccines in difficult to reach areas. Healthcare operations (and patients) directly benefit from shorter in-transit times. The FAA certification allows UPS to fly an unlimited number of drones with remote operators in command. The certification also allows for cargo to exceed 55 pounds and fly at night.
Let’s fly!
Group Activities and Discussion Questions:
- Review key aspects of developing a product positioning map, including determining the axis labels for positioning.
- Review UPS drone service.
- Show UPS drone video: https://youtu.be/xx9_6OyjJrQ
- The detailed business news announcement is available at: https://pressroom.ups.com/pressroom/ContentDetailsViewer.page?ConceptType=PressReleases&id=1569933965476-404
- Who are UPS’s competitors? What are their strengths and weaknesses?
- Divide students into teams and have each team develop a positioning map for UPS’s new Flight Forward drone service.
- Have each team draw their map on the board.
- Debrief exercise.
Sources: Wall Street Journal, New York Times, The Verge, Forbes, other news sources
