Residents of The Villages to receive prescription deliveries by drone

LAKE MARY, Fla. - Senior citizens in the country’s largest retirement community will soon be getting some of their medications delivered by drones as part of a partnership between UPS and CVS.

The companies announced Monday that the delivery service would be available for residents of The Villages early next month as one way to help Florida’s vulnerable population stay safe during the coronavirus pandemic.

The packages have to be light weight and the trips have to be short from the store to the destination, but drone enthusiast Fred Hadley thinks this will really catch on.

"[I] believe the seniors will use the technology if it’s convenient and allows contact-free delivery of merchandise I think it has good prospects for use yes," he said.  "Drones have the potential for us to re-shape our health-care system."

Drones have been flying from hospitals to patient’s houses in North Carolina, taking test kits and samples through the air.  Because of the coronavirus crisis, CVS was approved to try these upcoming air missions.

If this goes well in The Villages, it could be unveiled in other parts of Florida.