# Episode 103: Delivering medicine by drone - Keenan Wyrobek

- Show: [Robot Talk](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk)
- Published: 2024-12-20
- Length: 28m
- Episode: 103
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-12-20-episode-103-delivering-medicine-by-drone-keenan-wyrobek
- Listen: https://ukrobotics.libsyn.com/episode-103-keenan-wyrobek-delivering-medicine-by-drone

## Summary

Keenan Wyrobek, co-founder and head of product and engineering at Zipline, explains how the company uses fixed-wing drones to deliver life-saving medicine to remote locations. He details the engineering of Platform One, including the 'Snapcatch' recovery system and modular design, and introduces Platform Two, a hybrid drone-droid system for precise urban delivery. Wyrobek discusses the regulatory challenges of operating in airspace, highlighting their FAA-approved acoustic detect-and-avoid technology, and outlines Zipline's shift toward preventative healthcare and home delivery models.

## Chapters

- [0:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-12-20-episode-103-delivering-medicine-by-drone-keenan-wyrobek#t=7) Introduction: Keenan Wyrobek and Zipline's Mission
- [1:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-12-20-episode-103-delivering-medicine-by-drone-keenan-wyrobek#t=105) Origin Story: From ROS to Solving Healthcare Logistics
- [5:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-12-20-episode-103-delivering-medicine-by-drone-keenan-wyrobek#t=316) Platform One Hardware: Launchers, Parachutes, and Snapcatch
- [9:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-12-20-episode-103-delivering-medicine-by-drone-keenan-wyrobek#t=588) Scalability: Modular Design and Local Teams
- [13:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-12-20-episode-103-delivering-medicine-by-drone-keenan-wyrobek#t=783) Scale and Sustainability: 1.2 Million Deliveries and Environmental Impact
- [15:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-12-20-episode-103-delivering-medicine-by-drone-keenan-wyrobek#t=952) Platform Two: Hybrid Drone-Droid System for Urban Delivery
- [19:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-12-20-episode-103-delivering-medicine-by-drone-keenan-wyrobek#t=1180) Regulatory Challenges and FAA-Approved Detect-and-Avoid
- [23:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-12-20-episode-103-delivering-medicine-by-drone-keenan-wyrobek#t=1381) Future of Healthcare: Preventative Care and Home Delivery

## Topics

- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Certification & compliance](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/certification-and-compliance)
- [Sustainability & circular products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sustainability-and-circularity)
- [Logistics & fulfilment](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/logistics-and-fulfillment)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Zipline (company)
- Willow Garage (company)
- ROS (other)
- PR2 (product)
- Platform One (product)
- Snapcatch (product)
- Platform Two (product)
- FAA (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [A look at Zipline's future & the design of the Zip's Droid](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2024-02-07-a-look-at-ziplines-future-the-design-of-the-zips-droid) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [348: Flop Onto the Bouncy Castle](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2020-10-15-348-flop-onto-the-bouncy-castle) (Embedded.fm)
- [Delivering the future in drones with Keller Rinaudo Cliffton of Zipline](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-13-delivering-the-future-in-drones-with-keller-rinaudo-cliffton-of-zipline) (How I Built This)
- [Keenan Wyrobek (Co-founder/CTO, Zipline)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-07-29-keenan-wyrobek-co-founder-cto-zipline) (Just Gonna Send It)
- [52. Drones to Explore Space and Save Lives on Earth](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2022-01-11-52-drones-to-explore-space-and-save-lives-on-earth) (The Next Byte Podcast)

## Citing this page

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