Drone PPE delivery 12.18.20

In eastern Kentucky, a new program is developing a drone delivery system.

Image:left drone delivery ppe1.jpg new technology is being used in appalachia to fight a new virus.

Abc 36's monica harkins shows us how drones are helping protect people from covid- 19.

"nat pop drone sound."

Drones...taking access to healthcare to new heights.

"bart : to be able to do something that is positive, not just for eastern kentucky or kentucky.

That's something we see being possible across the united states" bart massey executive director of u-s-a drone port...a nonprofit drone research and development company based in southeastern kenctucky..says the idea came from the beginning of the pandemic...when people were isolated...and sometimes unable to leave....so he thought how can a drone help people?

As head of uk's center of excellence in rural health...it's fran feltner's job to think about how can she help people in rural areas.

Fran: "eastern kentucky is a beautiful place that we call home.

However, it has its barriers.

Behind the times or ahead of the times and this is one time, i think we're ahead of the times, and looking at how we can access services and supplies for the people in eastern kentucky."

With the duo ready to help....'the jericho project' couldn't take-off... without money.

That came from a grant from the university of kentucky's center for appalachian research in environmental sciences...uk-cares.

Monica: flying a drone can be compared to playing a video game...you have your controller with joy sticks to direct where you're going...and a camera on the front that can shoot video and take pictures, too."

While the concept can be easy to learn...the skill of flying through appalachia's mountains....and carrying a package... can be tricky....massey says as of now the pilots are all licensed....but technically anyone can buy and operate a drone.

Nat pop the first delivery carrying a mask and hand sanitizer happened tuesday.

Massey and feltner hope p-p-e is just the beginning... fran:"to be in eastern kentucky, in the mountains of appalachia, and being at the forefront of this discovery, i think it's really important to our nation."

Bart: "so you can almost say lemons to lemonade as some response with this" in eastern kentucky, monica harkins abc 36 news.

Ots image:right lexington covid-19 cases