Purpose of the Bill

The bill is intended to finance the development and support for delivering medical supplies to rural areas in Minnesota using small unmanned aircraft systems, commonly known as drones.

Main Provisions

• The bill allocates $1 million each for the fiscal years 2026 and 2027 from the general fund. These funds are to be used specifically for advancing the delivery of medical supplies using drones in rural parts of the state.
• The initiative is a one-time appropriation, indicating that these funds are not meant to be recurrent.

Significant Changes and Actions

• The development process includes improving infrastructure necessary for drone operations beyond visual line of sight. This is crucial to ensure drones can travel longer distances without direct visual tracking by operators.
• The bill supports assistance in acquiring a specific waiver (beyond visual line of sight certificate of waiver) under existing federal regulations to enable these drone operations.
• It involves testing how effectively medical supplies can be delivered via drones.
• There will be efforts to engage and educate the public about the use and benefits of drones for this purpose.
• The commissioner of transportation is required to work together with the commissioner of health and the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy to ensure that the funds are used effectively.

Relevant Terms

• Medical supply delivery
• Small unmanned aircraft systems
• Drones
• Rural areas
• Infrastructure improvements
• Beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS)
• Federal regulations
• Public engagement and education