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We live in a bit of a bubble. If you’re reading this, you’re likely a maker, a hacker, or you randomly stumbled upon this post while looking for cheap flights to Barbados. Either way, you’re likely sitting in a room with electricity, with a grocery store down the street, and, statistically speaking, 3.7 Starbucks within a 10 block radius. It’s easy to take for granted all of our modern amenities. But for millions of people across the world, access to even the most basic resources such as clean water and modern healthcare is very hard to come by.
One of the greatest challenges facing those with this limited access is the lack of reliable modes of transportation. In places like Africa, which ranks 107th in the world in terms of paved roads, access to supplies is often severely limited. Safe, paved roads are just one thing that can make a huge difference in the lives of people in the undeveloped world. For those who live off the mainland, however, encountering different types of terrain can pose even greater challenges. For instance, those who live on remote islands are at the mercy of the seas when they need to get critical supplies delivered.
Enter the drones!
We already know that drones are good for two things: carrying Hellfire missiles and spying on celebrities at their pools. But for those in the poorest parts of the world, a new mission has emerged: transportation and delivery of critical supplies. Need to get a vital medication to a patient on a remote island? Spin up the drone, attach the package, and send it on its way! All at a fraction of the cost of traditional delivery modalities, such as boats and sea-planes. Already, DHL is testing drones to deliver medications to patients on a car-free German island.
We’re now entering a whole new world, where the military machines of the past are the humanitarian solutions of the future.
Gotta run for now. I hear a noise overhead and I think a Band-Aid just fell on me.
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Python for Microcontrollers – Adafruit Daily — Python on Microcontrollers Newsletter: CircuitPython 2025 Wraps, Focus on Using Python, Open Source and More! #CircuitPython #Python #micropython @ThePSF @Raspberry_Pi
EYE on NPI – Adafruit Daily — EYE on NPI Maxim’s Himalaya uSLIC Step-Down Power Module #EyeOnNPI @maximintegrated @digikey
