IGNITION 2018: Hear from the Silicon Valley CEO whose startup is using drones to deliver blood bags

As CEO and cofounder of Zipline, Keller Rinaudo is working to build a drone delivery service that gives citizens of the world's most remote regions access to lifesaving medical care.

Zipline has been working with the African nation of Rwanda, known for its mountainous geography, unpredictable weather, and poor transport infrastructure, to deliver blood bags to healthcare providers (hospitals, labs, health centers). Rinaudo told CNBC that drone delivery is 10 times as fast as a car.

As of May, Zipline said it had delivered 7,000 units of blood over the course of 5,000 flights since the program launched in October 2016. Zipline said it now fulfills about a fifth of the blood needs of Rwanda's rural population.

Rinaudo's focus for the startup is now turning toward expansion. Zipline recently introduced a new drone called the Zip 2 that can travel at speeds of nearly 80 miles an hour, which could allow the startup to scale globally as they plan expansions into new markets, including Tanzania and the United States.

Hear from Rinaudo at IGNITION as he discusses how robotics are transforming logistics and transportation and what Zipline has planned for the future.

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