VOA慢速英语--沃尔玛尝试使用无人机运送新冠检测试剂盒

Walmart Uses Drones to Fly COVID-19 Tests to American Homes

Walmart has begun using drone aircraft to transport COVID-19 tests to private homes in the United States.

This week, the company began sending COVID-19 self-collection kits² to homes in the North Las Vegas area of Nevada. Walmart will fly the kits to single-family houses within 1.5 kilometers of its stores. The drones will leave the test equipment on the front sidewalk, driveway, or land around the house.

People wishing to receive the tests are asked to first create a request with the company online. The kits enable individuals to administer the COVID-19 test themselves. A swab is included for people to collect fluid from inside the nose. Individuals can then send the collected material in the mail to a COVID-19 testing center.

Walmart says customers who use the service will not have to pay for the kits or use of the drones. The service will be offered daily so long as weather conditions permit drone flights.

The project is a partnership³ between Walmart and Quest Diagnostics, a medical testing laboratory. U.S. drone services provider DroneUp is supplying the aircraft.

Dan Haemmerle is head of Extended Care services for Quest Diagnostics. He says the new project aims to show how drones can provide healthcare services to patients who are unable to leave their home or live in rural areas.

"We will take the learnings from this pilot and enhance the ways we deliver health care services to the patients we serve," Haemmerle said.

Walmart said it hopes the project "will shape contactless testing capabilities⁴ on a larger scale" and lead to future expansion of the company's delivery methods.

Earlier this month, Walmart launched another test program. It uses drones to fly food and household products to customers in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

The company expanded its pick-up and delivery services in recent months as demand increased because of the coronavirus health crisis.

Tom Ward⁵ is Walmart's senior vice-president for customer products. In announcing the program, he said it will likely take years before customers will see widespread drone deliveries. "We know that it will be some time before we see millions of packages delivered via drone. That still feels like a bit of science fiction."

Ward added, "We're at a point where we're learning more and more about the technology that is available and how we can use it to make our customers' lives easier."

Online seller Amazon recently received U.S. government approval to deliver products by drone. But the company is still testing its self-piloting aircraft and has yet to announce a target date for launching ongoing⁶ drone deliveries.

Alphabet's drone company Wing received federal approval last year to fly drone aircraft. It has also tested deliveries of medicine and other products.

And, UPS Flight Forward received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration last year to operate as the first U.S. "air carrier" with drone delivery services.

Words in This Story

drone – n. an unmanned aircraft

kit¹ – n. equipment or materials needed for a special purpose

swab – n. a small piece of material used to collect a small amount of a substance from a person's body

customer – n. a person who pays a business for goods or services

enhance – v. to improve

capability⁷ – n. the ability to do something

pick-up – adj. the act of going to a business to get things that were bought

delivery – n. the taking of things from one place to another

package – n. a box or large envelope that is sent or delivered usually through the mail or by another delivery service

1 kit   

n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物

参考例句：

• The kit consisted of about twenty cosmetic items.整套工具包括大约20种化妆用品。
• The captain wants to inspect your kit.船长想检查你的行装。

2 kits   

衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件

参考例句：

• Keep your kits closed and locked when not in use. 不用的话把你的装备都锁好放好。
• Gifts Articles, Toy and Games, Wooden Toys, Puzzles, Craft Kits. 采购产品礼品，玩具和游戏，木制的玩具，智力玩具，手艺装备。

3 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

4 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

5 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

6 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

7 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。