---
title: How Drones Could Conquer Food Deserts
date: 2021-10-26T05:30:00-04:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/how-drones-could-conquer-food-deserts"
section: Articles
---
# How Drones Could Conquer Food Deserts

*October 26, 2021* — by [Shannon Clark M.Jour. ’22](/author/shannon-clark-m-jour-22)


> Terp Tech Innovators Named to Washington Business Journal’s 25 Under 25 List

*Shutterstock 1936524613 1920x1080 — Camilo Melnyk '21 (below) and Spencer Yaculak '23 (bottom photo) are gaining notice for their company, Blimp Logistics, which could someday provide airborne drone deliveries of food in areas poorly-served by food stores.*

Broccoli, beef and baby formula are too often out of reach for people living many miles from a grocery store—or lacking a ride to one—forcing them to choose between paying hefty delivery fees or just going without.

Building new grocery stores and developing fleshed-out supply chains in these areas is slow and expensive, creating a business opportunity where two Terps hope to swoop in, literally, and help solve the problem.


*Camilo Melnyk ‘21 headshot*


*Spencer Yaculak ‘23 headshot*



**Sidebar note:**

Two other Terps made The Washington Business Journal’s 25 Under 25 list for their work on Technica, a yearly hackathon established in 2015 at UMD for women and gender-neutral people. Co-executive Directors Hugo Burbelo ‘22 and Utsa Santhosh ‘22 help bring in students to campus for a weekend filled with education and exposure to the tech industry for groups now seriously underrepresented in its ranks.





**Topics:** [People](https://today.umd.edu/tags/people)


**Tags:** [Food](https://today.umd.edu/topic/food)


**Units:** [A. James Clark School of Engineering](https://today.umd.edu/topic/james-clark-school-engineering), [Robert H. Smith School of Business](https://today.umd.edu/topic/robert-h-smith-school-business)