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Cleveland Clinic is now delivering certain medications to patients’ homes via drones, marking the start of the first long-term deployment of a prescription drug drone delivery program by a U.S. health system. The first successful deliveries were made last week in and around Beachwood. The service is operated by drone delivery company Zipline.
The service is currently focused on deliveries that are within a five-mile radius of Cleveland Clinic’s Beachwood Administrative Campus, which serves as the drones’ home base. Over time, Cleveland Clinic plans to expand to additional locations and include delivery of other medications, lab samples, medically tailored meals and supplies.
This service will allow Cleveland Clinic to expand access to its pharmacy home delivery program and provide easier, quicker access to prescribed medications for our patients. Patients who currently utilize the home delivery program for certain medications are initially eligible for this service.
Drone delivery is optional, and there is no extra cost for patients.
“Cleveland Clinic is committed to exploring innovative ways to improve access and make healthcare more responsive to the needs of our patients,” said Bill Peacock, Executive Vice President and Chief of Operations at Cleveland Clinic. “This drone delivery program is an example of how we can use technology to help patients receive important medications quickly, safely and efficiently.”
For this initiative, Cleveland Clinic is working with the company Zipline, which delivers medical supplies, food and other goods via drone. Zipline’s technology is designed to provide precise deliveries, using minimal energy.
The drones use an innovative delivery method and do not land in patients’ yards. When a prescription is ready, a Cleveland Clinic pharmacy technician will place the package into a secure drop box. The electric drone then autonomously retrieves the order, and flies to its destination. Upon arrival, the drone stays up to 300 feet in the air while a pod containing the package descends to the ground on a tether. The pod delivers the order and ascends back into the drone, which then flies back to its charging station. Patients can track their delivery through a link in their MyChart messaging portal.
Patients whose medications are eligible for drone delivery will be notified by Cleveland Clinic’s pharmacy team through their electronic patient portal account. Controlled substances will not be transported via drones at this time.
“Receiving medication quickly and conveniently can make a meaningful difference for patients,” said Lindsey Amerine, Pharm.D., Chief Pharmacy Officer at Cleveland Clinic. “This program is another way in which we’re strengthening home delivery and extending the reach of our services beyond the walls of our facilities.”
Zipline’s President of U.S. Healthcare Hillary Brendzel said, “This program between Cleveland Clinic and Zipline makes it easier for patients to access the medicine they need. That’s one less errand to run, and more time back in people’s days. This launch is the latest milestone in Cleveland Clinic’s long history of using innovation to create a better patient experience.”
Zipline is the world’s largest autonomous delivery service and has delivered tens of millions of medical products globally since its first flights in 2016. Each drone performs more than 500 safety checks per second while in flight. In addition, Cleveland Clinic and Zipline have worked together to ensure compliance with all regulations and technical requirements for drone delivery.
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation, Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. Cleveland Clinic is consistently recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for its expertise and care. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 83,000 employees worldwide are more than 6,600 salaried physicians and researchers, and 21,900 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,725-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 23 hospitals, 300 outpatient facilities, including locations in northeast Ohio; Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2025, there were 15.9 million outpatient encounters, 343,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 336,000 surgeries and procedures throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at x.com/CleClinicNews. News and resources are available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.
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