DEPLOYDatabase

Deployment

Zipline Platform 1 (Zip) at Rwanda

Zipline's fixed-wing long-range delivery drone ('Zip') that air-drops packages by parachute; the workhorse of its Rwanda/Ghana medical-delivery networks and long-range US routes. Millions of deliveries flown.

Zipline Platform 1 (Zip) by Zipline · Operated by Zipline · Catalog entry · 2 sources · not yet field-verified

Track Zipline Platform 1 (Zip) at Rwanda

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Machine-readable surfaces

Footage

PRIMARY SOURCE
Courtesy of Zipline

Zipline's foundational piece on its Platform 1 operations in Rwanda: the medical-access gap and the fixed-wing 'Zip' catapult-launch and parachute air-drop delivery model (not the tethered Platform 2). Flight autonomy is attributed to Zipline.

PRIMARY SOURCE
Courtesy of Zipline

Zipline's narrative of its Platform 1 medical-delivery impact in Rwanda (blood and medical-supply runs to health facilities). Platform 1 is the fixed-wing, parachute air-drop platform; the health-impact statements are Zipline's claims.

PRIMARY SOURCE
Courtesy of Zipline

Zipline's look at 24 hours of national-scale medical logistics in Rwanda using its Platform 1 fixed-wing aircraft, which air-drops payloads by parachute (distinct from the tethered Platform 2). The cumulative distance, delivery, and emissions figures are Zipline's stated numbers.

PRIMARY SOURCE
Courtesy of Zipline

Zipline's overview of its Platform 1 (P1), a long-range fixed-wing 'Zip' that delivers by parachute drop. Autonomous flight under Zipline's airspace management.

Zipline's original national medical-delivery network (blood, vaccines, medicines), launched in Rwanda in 2016; the foundation of its more than two million commercial deliveries.

Key facts

Operator
Government of Rwanda health system (Zipline operates)
Since
2016 (Platform 1 fixed-wing)
Rwanda CAA approval
Approved for BVLOS medical delivery since 2016; first national drone delivery program

Exposure

Customer segment
healthcare
Scale tier
undisclosed
Customer
Government of Rwanda

Each exposure value carries its own basis marker. Aggregators report a number; this surface preserves the source class so verification depth travels with the value.

Safety record

No incidents on record for Zipline Platform 1 (Zip) at Rwanda.

Only active incidents are counted. Retracted incidents are excluded from this summary but remain reachable at their canonical URLs.

Trust tier
Catalog entry · 2 sources · not yet field-verifiedhow tiers work →
Last updated
2026-07-10
Model
Zipline Platform 1 (Zip)
Company
Zipline
Location
Rwanda
Operator
Zipline
Status
operational
Operator type
maker operated
First seen
2016-10-01
ID
61d7f3f3-35f9-429f-a196-1bca31971cbb

Timeline

  1. Oct 2016
    First recorded
    Zipline Platform 1 (Zip) first documented operating at Rwanda.
  2. May 2026
    created
  3. Jul 2026
    Current status: operational, reviewed
    Latest recorded state. New status transitions append here as the deployment-status recorder produces them.

On the deployment map

Zipline Platform 1 (Zip) operates in Rwanda. Explore the full verified map:

Sources (2)

  1. https://spectrum.ieee.org/in-the-air-with-ziplines-medical-delivery-drones
  2. https://fortune.com/2023/03/22/zipline-ceo-keller-rinaudo-cliffton-logistics-health-care-farmers-walmart/
Methodology: Verified · 2 sources (no primary) · last reviewed 2026-07-10

Verification posture

Verified

Low confidence

Review state

Stable

Last reviewed 2026-07-10

Maturity + lifecycle

Maturity stage: production

Lifecycle: active

Architectural position

Cohort: aerial

Sources by quality tier

1
secondary-industry-publication
Industry publication
1
unclassified
Unclassified source

The framework is documented at /methodology. Corrections at /corrections. Reviewer: DEPLOY editorial team.

Methodology surface for Zipline Platform 1 (Zip) at Rwanda.

Common questions

What is the Zipline Platform 1 (Zip) deployment at Rwanda?
Zipline Platform 1 (Zip), built by Zipline, is recorded as a deployment at Rwanda on the DEPLOY registry. Zipline operates the deployment directly.
Who operates Zipline Platform 1 (Zip) at Rwanda?
Zipline, the manufacturer of Zipline Platform 1 (Zip), operates this deployment directly. This is a maker-deploys-its-own-product arrangement rather than a customer pilot.
When did the Zipline Platform 1 (Zip) deployment at Rwanda go live?
The deployment is recorded as starting October 1, 2016 on the DEPLOY registry. Earlier activity may exist but is not yet sourced.
Have there been incidents at the Zipline Platform 1 (Zip) deployment at Rwanda?
No active incidents affecting this deployment are recorded on the DEPLOY registry. Absence of recorded incidents is not a guarantee no incident occurred; DEPLOY records only sourced incidents and suppresses retracted ones.

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