Changelog Master Feed Autonomous drone delivery in a Zip (Changelog Interviews #670)
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Dec 10, 2025 Keenan Wyrobek, cofounder and CTO of Zipline, shares insights into his company’s groundbreaking work in autonomous drone logistics. He discusses the impactful journey from delivering medical supplies in Rwanda to broader consumer applications like e-commerce. Keenan dives into the technical challenges of drone design and flight dynamics, revealing innovations like the drone-within-a-drone system. He touches on safety, regulatory collaboration, and the exciting potential for urban deliveries, while hinting at Zipline's ambitious scaling plans for the future.
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Rwanda Began Zipline's Mission
- Zipline started by delivering blood to hospitals in Rwanda after discovery work with health systems.
- Keenan and team found deeper field research increased conviction they could save lives and money by solving logistics.
Two-Drone Design Enables Quiet Precision
- Zipline uses a large carrier drone plus a small 'delivery zip' to enable quiet, precise home delivery.
- Keeping the heavy aircraft high lets the mini-drone handle precise, low-noise landings in tight spaces.
Validate Flight Software Before OTA Updates
- Release flight-critical software on a strict cadence and validate extensively before dispatch.
- Run tens of thousands of flight and hardware-in-loop tests during a multi-week release campaign before field updates.