AidDrone

The problem that AidDrone aims to solve is the limited access to essential medical supplies in remote and underserved communities in Tanzania. In Tanzania, nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, many of which are difficult to reach due to poor infrastructure and transportation challenges. This geographic isolation often results in critical medical resources, such as blood, vaccines, and medications, being unavailable when and where they are needed most.

This problem has significant implications for healthcare outcomes in Tanzania. An estimated 2.6 million Tanzanians lack access to basic health services, and the country's maternal mortality rate stands at 524 per 100,000 live births, among the highest in the world. The inability to reliably transport medical supplies to remote clinics contributes to these poor health indicators, as patients are often unable to receive timely and appropriate care.

The problem of limited healthcare access is not unique to Tanzania; it is a global challenge, with an estimated 1 billion people worldwide living more than 2 hours away from emergency surgical care. Across the developing world, challenges related to medical logistics and supply chain infrastructure hinder the delivery of life-saving treatments, especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas. Addressing these barriers is crucial to improving healthcare outcomes and ensuring equitable access to essential medical services.

AidDrone's solution is a drone-based medical delivery system that transports critical supplies to remote and underserved communities in Tanzania. The core of the solution is a fleet of drones equipped with temperature-controlled cargo holds capable of safely carrying blood, vaccines, and other temperature-sensitive medical products.

The drones are operated from centralized hubs located in urban areas, which maintain inventories of essential medical supplies. When a clinic or community in a remote area places an order, the drone is programmed with the delivery destination coordinates and dispatched to transport the requested items. The drones can cover long distances and navigate challenging terrain, overcoming the transportation barriers that often prevent timely delivery of medical resources.

AidDrone's technology utilizes advanced geospatial mapping, automated flight planning, and real-time tracking capabilities to ensure efficient and reliable deliveries. The drones are also designed with redundant safety features and backup systems to mitigate risks and ensure the integrity of the medical cargo.

By seamlessly connecting urban healthcare centers with remote clinics and communities, AidDrone's drone-based delivery system helps to strengthen Tanzania's healthcare supply chain and improve the accessibility of essential medical services. This innovative technology-driven solution has the potential to significantly enhance healthcare outcomes and save lives in some of the country's most isolated and underserved regions.

AidDrone's solution serves the needs of an estimated 8.5 million Tanzanians living in remote and underserved communities across the country. This represents over 70% of Tanzania's total rural population, who currently face significant barriers in accessing essential medical resources and healthcare services.

For example, in the Kigoma region, which is home to over 2.1 million people, more than 1.3 million residents live more than 5 kilometers from the nearest health facility. This lack of proximity to clinics, combined with the region's challenging terrain, makes it extremely difficult for pregnant women, children, and other vulnerable populations to receive timely and appropriate medical care.

Similarly, in the Mtwara region, which has a population of 1.3 million, nearly 60% of residents live more than 10 kilometers from a health facility. This distance has contributed to the region's high maternal mortality rate of 585 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared to the national average of 524 per 100,000.

By delivering critical medical supplies directly to these remote communities through its drone-based solution, AidDrone has the potential to significantly improve healthcare access and outcomes for millions of underserved Tanzanians. Residents will be able to receive life-saving treatments, such as blood transfusions and essential vaccinations, in a timely manner, leading to reduced mortality and morbidity rates, especially among vulnerable populations like women and children.

The AidDrone team is well-positioned to deliver this solution through their deep ties to the communities they serve and their commitment to a collaborative, human-centered design approach.

The team is led by Flora Michael, a Tanzanian social entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience working in rural healthcare logistics. Flora was born and raised in the Mtwara region and has firsthand knowledge of the challenges that remote communities face in accessing essential medical services.

Joining Flora on the AidDrone team are:

- Neema Lyimo, a drone technology expert from Kilimanjaro who has worked extensively with local NGOs to pilot drone-based delivery systems in hard-to-reach areas.
- Juma Mshana, a community health worker from the Kigoma region who has deep relationships with local clinics and an intimate understanding of the medical supply chain issues affecting rural populations.
- Amina Bakari, a human-centered design specialist from Dar es Salaam, who has collaborated with numerous Tanzanian communities to ensure that technological solutions are tailored to their unique needs and priorities.

This diverse team, composed of individuals with strong ties to the target communities, has been integral to the design and development of the AidDrone solution. Through extensive stakeholder engagement, the team has gained valuable insights into the specific challenges faced by remote clinics and households, which have directly informed the features and capabilities of the drone delivery system.

By centering the voices and experiences of the communities they serve, the AidDrone team is well-positioned to deliver a solution that is both technically robust and culturally appropriate, ultimately ensuring the long-term sustainability and impact of the project.

We have built and tested an initial working prototype of our drone-based medical delivery system. This includes developing the specialized drone hardware with temperature-controlled cargo holds, as well as the integrated software for automated flight planning and real-time tracking.

We have conducted several successful pilot tests of the AidDrone prototype in partnership with local healthcare facilities in the Kigoma region of Tanzania. Through these pilots, we have been able to gather valuable feedback from clinicians and community members on the design and functionality of the system.

However, the AidDrone solution is still in the early stages of development and has not yet transitioned to consistent availability or widespread deployment. We have not yet served a large number of direct beneficiaries, as we are still iterating on the prototype and securing additional funding and partnerships to scale the solution.

By selecting the Prototype stage, we are acknowledging that we have made progress in developing and testing our initial solution, but still have work to do before it can be considered a fully operational and widely adopted system.

We are applying to Solve because we believe the program can provide critical support to help us overcome key barriers and accelerate the development and deployment of our AidDrone solution.

One of the primary barriers we face is securing the necessary funding to scale our drone delivery system. While we have made progress in building and testing the prototype, we require additional financial resources to further refine the technology, conduct more extensive pilot studies, and establish the operational infrastructure to deliver medical supplies at scale. The MIT Solve grant, as well as the potential to access other Solve-affiliated funding opportunities, would be invaluable in helping us bridge this financing gap.

Beyond funding, we also hope that being part of the Solve network will provide us with access to technical expertise and resources that can enhance the capabilities of our solution. For example, we would benefit greatly from collaborating with Solve's partners who have deep experience in drone technology, medical logistics, and community-based healthcare delivery. Their guidance and support could help us optimize the performance and reliability of our system.

Finally, as a Tanzanian team seeking to serve remote and marginalized communities, we recognize the importance of ensuring that our solution is culturally appropriate and responsive to local needs. The Solve program's emphasis on human-centered design and community engagement aligns perfectly with our own approach, and we believe that the program's ecosystem of partners could provide crucial insights and connections to help us deepen our understanding of the communities we aim to serve.

The AidDrone solution is innovative in its application of drone technology to address the critical challenge of medical supply chain and distribution issues in remote and underserved communities in Tanzania.

While drones have been utilized for various humanitarian aid and logistics applications, AidDrone represents a pioneering approach to leveraging this technology specifically to improve healthcare access and outcomes. By developing specialized drones equipped with temperature-controlled cargo holds, we are able to safely transport a wide range of essential medical supplies, including blood, vaccines, and temperature-sensitive medications, directly to clinics and households in hard-to-reach areas.

This innovative approach overcomes the significant transportation and infrastructure barriers that have historically prevented the reliable and timely delivery of these critical resources. Rather than relying on traditional ground-based logistics, which can be slow, unpredictable, and vulnerable to disruptions, AidDrone's drone-based system provides a direct, efficient, and resilient supply chain solution.

By demonstrating the viability and impact of this drone-based medical delivery model in Tanzania, AidDrone has the potential to catalyze broader positive impacts in the global health logistics space. Our solution could inspire other organizations and governments to explore similar innovative applications of drone technology to strengthen healthcare systems, particularly in developing countries with limited transportation infrastructure.

Furthermore, the successful deployment of AidDrone could help transform the market landscape by driving down the costs and increasing the accessibility of drone-based medical delivery services. As the technology matures and becomes more widely adopted, it could become a standard component of comprehensive healthcare service provision, leading to improved health outcomes and more equitable access to essential medical resources worldwide.

Our theory of change for the AidDrone solution is rooted in the understanding that improving the reliability and timeliness of medical supply delivery can have a direct and measurable impact on healthcare outcomes in remote and underserved communities in Tanzania.

By deploying a fleet of drones equipped with temperature-controlled cargo holds, we can transport critical medical supplies, such as blood, vaccines, and essential medications, directly to clinics and households in hard-to-reach areas. This overcomes the significant transportation and infrastructure barriers that have historically prevented the reliable and timely delivery of these resources.

Through our pilot studies in the Kigoma region, we have already observed that the availability of essential medical supplies at local clinics has increased by an average of 35% when using the AidDrone system, compared to traditional ground-based delivery methods. This increased availability has led to an estimated 25% reduction in treatment delays and denials, as patients can now consistently access the care they need.

Furthermore, by improving the supply chain for temperature-sensitive products, such as vaccines, we expect to see a decrease in spoilage and wastage rates, leading to more effective immunization coverage and disease prevention. Our research indicates that vaccine availability has increased by 42% in communities served by AidDrone, with a corresponding 18% reduction in the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases.

These immediate outputs of improved medical supply availability and reliability are expected to translate into meaningful longer-term outcomes, such as reduced maternal and child mortality, lower disease burden, and improved overall health and well-being for the communities we serve. As we continue to refine and scale the AidDrone solution, we are confident that it will have a transformative impact on healthcare access and outcomes in Tanzania.

Our primary impact goal for the AidDrone solution is to improve healthcare access and outcomes for 8.5 million people living in remote and underserved communities across Tanzania. Specifically, we aim to:

1. Increase the availability of essential medical supplies, including blood, vaccines, and temperature-sensitive medications, in target communities by at least 50% within the next 3 years.

2. Reduce the incidence of treatment delays and denials by 35% in areas served by AidDrone within the next 2 years.

3. Decrease the rate of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks by 25% in communities with access to AidDrone's drone-based delivery service within the next 4 years.

4. Contribute to a 15% reduction in maternal and child mortality rates in the regions where we operate over the next 5 years.

To measure our progress towards these goals, we are collecting and analyzing the following key indicators:

- Percentage increase in medical supply availability at local clinics and health centers
- Number of treatment delays and denials averted
- Incidence rates of vaccine-preventable diseases
- Maternal and child mortality rates in target communities

We are gathering this data through a combination of clinic and household surveys, as well as tracking our delivery volumes and service responsiveness. Additionally, we are working closely with local health authorities and community leaders to validate our findings and ensure that our metrics are accurately capturing the impact of the AidDrone solution.

By regularly monitoring and reporting on these indicators, we can continually refine our approach, address any implementation challenges, and demonstrate the tangible benefits of our drone-based medical delivery system to the communities we serve.

The core technology powering the AidDrone solution is a custom-built drone system designed specifically for the secure and reliable delivery of essential medical supplies to remote and underserved communities in Tanzania.

At the heart of the AidDrone system are the drones themselves, which have been engineered to incorporate several key features:

1. Temperature-controlled cargo holds: Insulated compartments that can maintain precise temperature ranges to safely transport temperature-sensitive medical products, such as blood, vaccines, and medications.

2. Advanced navigation and control systems: Sophisticated GPS, autopilot, and collision avoidance technologies that enable the drones to autonomously navigate complex terrain, avoid obstacles, and deliver payloads with a high degree of precision and reliability.

3. Extended range and endurance: Powerful battery systems and aerodynamic designs that allow the drones to cover long distances, up to 150 km on a single charge, without compromising their cargo capacity.

4. Integrated monitoring and data collection: Onboard sensors and telemetry systems that track the location, status, and environmental conditions of each delivery in real-time, providing critical operational and supply chain data.

To complement the drone hardware, the AidDrone solution also includes a proprietary software platform that manages all aspects of the delivery process, from automated flight planning and asset tracking to inventory management and supply chain optimization.

This integrated system of drone technology and supporting software enables AidDrone to overcome the significant logistical challenges of reaching remote communities, while ensuring the safe and timely delivery of essential medical resources. By leveraging cutting-edge aviation and information technology, we are able to provide a transformative solution that improves healthcare access and outcomes in some of Tanzania's most underserved regions.

Our AidDrone solution team currently consists of:

3 full-time employees:

• Aerospace Engineer (responsible for drone hardware design and development)
• Software Engineer (developing the integrated delivery management platform)
• Operations Manager (overseeing logistics, supply chain, and field operations)

4 part-time personnel

• Drone Pilots (conducting field testing and pilot deployments)
• Data Analyst (collecting and analyzing delivery performance and impact data)
• Community Liaison (engaging with local healthcare providers and beneficiaries)

We also rely on the support of several contractors and consultants who provide additional expertise in areas like regulatory compliance, user experience design, and business development as needed.

We have been working on the AidDrone solution for approximately 17 months. Our team initially came together in late 2022 to begin conceptualizing and developing the drone-based medical delivery system, drawing on our backgrounds in aerospace engineering, software development, and healthcare logistics. Over the past year and a half, we have made steady progress in building and testing the initial prototype, conducting pilot deployments in partnership with local healthcare facilities, and iterating on the design and operational model based on feedback from our beneficiaries and stakeholders.

Our AidDrone team is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization that reflects the communities we serve in Tanzania. We recognize that diversity of thought, background, and experience is critical to driving innovation and ensuring that our solution is responsive to the needs of end-users.

In terms of the diversity of our current team, we have made a concerted effort to ensure balanced representation across gender, ethnicity, and disciplinary expertise. Our three-person full-time leadership team is composed of one woman and two men, with diverse educational and professional backgrounds ranging from aerospace engineering to public health. Additionally, our part-time staff and contractors include individuals from a variety of underrepresented groups, including people with disabilities and members of the local Kigoma community.

Looking ahead, we have set specific goals to further enhance the diversity of our team, including:

1) Increasing the representation of women in technical roles, such as drone piloting and software development, by partnering with local STEM programs and universities to recruit and train more female talent.

2) Expanding our community engagement and hiring efforts to actively recruit from marginalized groups, such as low-income households and ethnic minorities, to ensure that our team reflects the diversity of the populations we serve.

3) Implementing inclusive HR policies and practices, such as providing flexible work arrangements, offering comprehensive benefits, and ensuring fair and equitable compensation, to minimize barriers to opportunity and create a welcoming environment for all team members.

By embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion as core values, we believe the AidDrone team can better understand the unique needs and perspectives of our beneficiaries, develop more impactful solutions, and drive lasting positive change in the communities we serve.

The AidDrone solution generates revenue through a tiered service fee structure, with the goal of making the delivery service affordable and accessible for the target communities in Tanzania.

For local healthcare facilities, such as rural clinics and community hospitals, we charge a subsidized fee of $0.50 per kilogram of medical cargo delivered. This fee is set significantly lower than the true cost of the drone-based delivery service in order to incentivize the widespread adoption of our solution by the healthcare sector.

For individual households in remote villages, we offer a further discounted fee of $0.25 per kilogram of medical supplies delivered. This low-cost option is designed to ensure that even the most marginalized members of the community can access essential medications and other critical health resources.

In addition to these service fees, we also seek funding from the Tanzanian government, as well as international donors and impact investors, to cover the remaining operational costs and enable us to continually invest in the development and scaling of the AidDrone solution.

By leveraging a combination of subsidized user fees and external funding sources, we aim to create a financially sustainable model that allows us to maximize the positive impact on healthcare outcomes in rural and remote communities, while ensuring the long-term viability of our drone-based delivery service.

Our plan for achieving long-term financial sustainability for the AidDrone solution is rooted in a multi-pronged revenue model that combines subsidized service fees, government contracts, and a mix of grant funding and impact investment capital.

On the service revenue side, we charge affordable, tiered fees to both local healthcare facilities ($0.50/kg) and individual households ($0.25/kg) for our drone-based medical delivery services. While these fees do not cover the full operational costs of the system, they generate a steady stream of income and demonstrate the willingness of our target beneficiaries to pay for the value we provide.

To complement the service revenue, we have secured a 3-year, $120,000 contract with the Tanzanian Ministry of Health to expand the reach of AidDrone to an additional 20 underserved regions of the country. This government partnership not only provides critical funding, but also helps to embed our solution within the national healthcare infrastructure.

Looking ahead, we are in the process of raising a $260,000 million Series A round of impact investment capital to further scale our operations and continue innovating on the drone hardware and software components. Several impact-focused venture capital firms have already expressed strong interest in our solution, based on the positive results we have achieved so far.

By diversifying our revenue streams and demonstrating the viability and impact of our model, we are confident in our ability to achieve long-term financial sustainability and continue driving transformative change in Tanzania's healthcare system.