UK CERH’s Kentucky Homeplace and USA Drone Port Research Project Receives Media Attention

An innovative research project in Perry and Knott Counties that connects Community Health Workers (CHWs) with local drone pilots to deliver Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to households in Appalachian Kentucky during the COVID-19 pandemic has received tremendous media interest.

With funding from a rapid-response mini-grant by the UK Center for Appalachian Research in Environmental Sciences (UK-CARES), the UK Center of Excellence in Rural Health, Kentucky Homeplace and the USA Drone Port partnered in the fall of 2020 to begin testing the process of using drone technology to complete the PPE deliveries.

To learn more, check out the videos and news coverage about the project at the links below:

USA Drone Port, UK Rural Health team up for drone services in Knott and Perry counties

WYMT Channel 57 Hazard (CBS) - September 25, 2020
https://www.wymt.com/2020/09/25/usa-drone-port-uk-rural-health-team-up-for-drone-services-in-knott-and-perry-counties/

USA Drone Port, UK-CARES and Kentucky Homeplace Partner to Bring PPE to Rural Kentuckians

UKNow University of Kentucky News - December 15, 2020
https://uknow.uky.edu/research/usa-drone-port-uk-cares-and-kentucky-homeplace-partner-bring-ppe-rural-kentuckians

USA Drone Port, UK Rural Health complete first drone delivery of PPE through Project Jericho

WYMT Channel 57 Hazard (CBS) - December 15, 2020 
https://www.wymt.com/2020/12/15/usa-drone-port-uk-rural-health-complete-first-drone-delivery-of-ppe-through-project-jericho/

Ky. Organizations Use Drones to Deliver PPE to Rural Areas

Spectrum News 1 Lexington - December 17, 2020 
https://spectrumnews1.com/ky/lexington/news/2020/12/17/drones-delivering-ppe-to-eastern-kentucky-

Drones deliver PPE to communities in Appalachian Kentucky

WLEX Channel 18 Lexington (NBC) - December 17, 2020
https://www.lex18.com/news/coronavirus/drones-deliver-ppe-to-communities-in-appalachian-kentucky

New program develops drone program to deliver PPE to Eastern Kentuckians

WTVQ Channel 36 Lexington (ABC) - December 18, 2020 
https://www.wtvq.com/2020/12/18/usa-drone-port-uk-cares-and-kentucky-homeplace-partner-to-bring-ppe-to-rural-kentuckians/

UK tests drones for delivering health supplies to hard-to-reach Eastern Kentucky

Lexington Herald-Leader - December 30, 2020
https://www.kentucky.com/news/state/kentucky/article247860445.html