Gov. Wes Moore announced $1.7 million in Federal Funding for the Eastern Shore Drone Pilot Program that tackles the lack of access to health care resources in rural communities on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the Maryland Department of Planning a $1.76 million SMART grant to explore the use of innovative aviation technology, according to the governor’s office.

“All Marylanders deserve equitable access to health care and health care resources,” Moore said in a news release. “This funding will strengthen our capacity to support our rural communities and presents an important opportunity to learn more about how enhanced technology can be deployed to serve those in need.”

Uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) are used to close the health care accessibility gap linked to lack of transportation. The systems can also reduce the amount of time it takes for a health care provider to reach the location where service is needed, according to the governor’s office.

The Eastern Shore Pilot will deliver medical packages between Crisfield and Smith Island, where residents are limited to commercially operated boat services to reach the mainland, the release said.

“The UMD UAS Research and Operations Center looks forward to using drones to improve health outcomes,” UAS Research and Operations Center Director John Slaughter said in the news release. “Pioneering the use of UAS for medical deliveries in Maryland, we will set the stage for expansion as new FAA rules come into place that will facilitate regionalizing these services not only within the state but even across state lines.”

A commercial drone services provider will participate in the project’s technical preparation to obtain the necessary permissions from the Federal Aviation Administration, as well as to perform flight operations, the release said. A local health provider will also participate in this effort, coordinating the medical and pharmaceutical delivery support. Project officials are currently getting in contact with Smith Island residents and working on the procurement of drones.

“The Maryland Department of Planning is excited to partner on this project to advance the use of technology to support rural communities in need where access to critical services is limited,” Rebecca Flora, Maryland’s Department of Planning secretary, said in a news release. “This project will not only advance new innovative approaches to providing support for ongoing needs, it will also advance how these technologies may be used in resiliency planning and reaching hard to reach places after disaster recovery.”