ONANCOCK, Va. - Plans are in the works to develop a new way to keep the people of Accomack county and Tangier Island healthy.
There is a new technology that involves using drones to transport and deliver medical supplies across the area.
US Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner announced nearly two million dollars to fund the first phase of the project. They tell us 'DroneUp' is working with Riverside Health System to bring the idea to reality.
The mayor of Tangier Island says, getting medication can be a hassle for islanders. So, delivery drones would be a big convenience.
"When supplies come over on the boat, the boats are on a schedule. So sometimes folks would order medical supplies or medicine of some sort and if it missed the boat you would have to wait for the next day to get it," says Mayor James Eskridge.
The drones would use a tether system to land their cargo.
And for those concerned with privacy, WBOC was told each drone has a low-resolution camera for pilots, but the feed is never recorded.
Shante Blake, who is her mothers' care taker, says convenient options for getting medications are disappearing. She says, "It would be more convenient because right now the only pharmacies that we have in the Accomack County that's close to the Onancock area are Walmart and CVS. We no longer have Walgreens.
But Blake goes on to say, not everyone may be on board with the drones.
"You do have people in the community that want things done the old-school way. They want people to deliver the medicines, different agencies to deliver the medicines or just have their independence of going out to get it themselves," says Blake.
Blake's mother Victoria Blake says she's on board for the project. She says, "Older people have a lot of things going on with them, especially when they get older. Your health goes. I've had a heart attack and a whole lot of other stuff and drones will be good for the people that need that."
New ways of health are soon to be lifting off.
