[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 12 (Friday, January 16, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E49-E50]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST FAA-APPROVED DRONE 
       DELIVERY IN THE UNITED STATES, COMMENDING LET'S FLY WISELY

                                  _____
                                 

                        HON. H. MORGAN GRIFFITH

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 16, 2026

  Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate a landmark 
moment in both American aviation history and rural health care 
innovation: the 10th anniversary of the first Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA)-approved drone delivery, which took place in Wise 
County, Virginia, on July 17, 2015.
  This groundbreaking event marked the first official drone package 
delivery in this country. It was the first time in our Nation's history 
that medical supplies were delivered to patients via Unmanned Aerial 
Vehicle (UAV), setting a global precedent for how drone technology can 
serve humanity.
  The drone delivery was made possible through an extraordinary 
collaboration among several visionary partners:
  Flirtey, a pioneering startup in commercial drone delivery (including 
co-founder and chief executive officer Matthew Sweeny; co-founder and 
chief operations officer Tom Bass; advisory board member Shyam 
Chidamber);
  Health Wagon, a nonprofit health care organization that has served 
the medically underserved in Central Appalachia for over four decades 
(including chief executive officer, Dr. Teresa Gardner Tyson, DNP; 
clinical director, Dr. Paula Meade Collins, DNP);
  Remote Area Medical (RAM), which organizes annual pop-up clinics 
providing free medical, dental, and vision care (including president, 
Stan Brock);
  NASA Langley Research Center, which offered critical technical 
support and expertise (including director David E. Bowles; Frank Jones; 
John Foggia);
  Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP) at Virginia Tech, an 
official FAA-designated UAS test site (including director, Jon Greene; 
president, Timothy D. Sands);

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  Virginia Center for Innovative Technology, which facilitated public-
private collaboration and integration;
  Appalachian College of Pharmacy, which played a key role in preparing 
and ensuring the safe dispensing of the prescription medications 
delivered by drone (including adjunct associate professor of pharmacy, 
Dr. Shamly Abdelfattah); and
  Jack Kennedy, Clerk of the Wise County Circuit Court, who was 
instrumental in pioneering and championing the concept of using drones 
for rural medical delivery in the Appalachian region.
  Other Notable Partners: Shelcy Mullins, Sr. Fairgrounds; Lonesome 
Pine Airport manager, Jarrod Powers; RX Partnership executive director 
Amy Yarcich; Ryan Media Lab chief executive officer Mark A. Ryan and 
partner Kyle Mark Ryan; and Wise County UAS event coordinator, 
Andrianah Kilgore.
  At that time, delivering medical supplies to rural sites like the RAM 
Wise County clinic event often required extensive hours of travel that 
could take hours or days of travel across rugged, mountainous terrain. 
But on that historic day, a drone carried the same supplies in just 
minutes--safely and efficiently delivering pharmaceuticals and medical 
supplies to patients.
  This was more than a demonstration of technical prowess--it was a 
transformative moment for underserved communities. It showed how 
cutting-edge innovation could eliminate barriers to health care, reduce 
delays in treatment, and save lives in areas long overlooked by 
traditional infrastructure.
  The implications extended far beyond Southwest Virginia. This mission 
laid the groundwork for nationwide drone delivery applications and 
inspired regulatory advancements by the FAA. It served as a springboard 
for companies to explore widespread drone delivery as a viable, 
scalable solution.
  Mr. Speaker, as we reflect on the 10th anniversary of this historic 
achievement, we honor all those who made it possible. Their collective 
vision, determination, and compassion gave rise to a new frontier of 
health care access, born in the mountains of Central Appalachian 
Virginia but felt across the globe.
  The first FAA-approved drone delivery was not merely a feat of 
aviation--it was a profound act of compassion. It marked a turning 
point in how we approach health care access for those living in rural 
communities. For areas long burdened by limited infrastructure and 
geographic barriers, this moment offered something far greater than 
innovation--it delivered dignity and hope. It was, in every sense, the 
``Kitty Hawk moment'' for the drone delivery industry and the future of 
rural health care delivery.

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