# Update. The Plan Got 250,000. The Aircraft Got More > Alaska's rural health program awarded $250,000 for a drone plan on August 14th. On September 4th it awarded $4,171,115 for aircraft. Published 2026-09-14 by Alaska AI. 9 slides. Canonical: https://alaskaaihq.com/archive/2026-09-14/ ## The story THE AWARD SAYS IMPLEMENTATION NOT PLANNING Ryan Air was awarded $4,171,115 to deploy "autonomous cargo drones and electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft" carrying pharmaceuticals and moving patients across roadless communities. IA means aircraft, not a study. A FAMILY FREIGHT LINE WITH A GRANT Ryan Air started in 1953 in the village of Unalakleet and is managed by the third generation of the Ryan family. It serves 80 villages throughout Western Alaska and operates 24 aircraft out of eight hubs. AIRCRAFT TAKE THE PLACE OF AMBULANCES 402 Alaskan communities depend on aviation for year round access, where aircraft often take the place of cars, school buses, semitrucks, and ambulances. That is 82 percent of the state's communities, served by 235 airports. Ryan Air's own proposal calls the gap "life-threatening". ONE PROGRAM. TWO LOADS. THE INTERIOR GOT A YEAR TO PLAN Tanana Chiefs Conference took $250,000 for a planning year on the same idea, a drone pharmaceutical route from a Fairbanks hub to 42 Interior villages across 94,000 square miles. Tanana Chiefs says winter medication delays of 5 to 14 days are common. FIRST THE WAIVER THEN THE AIRCRAFT Tanana Chiefs names the University of Alaska Fairbanks Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration as its partner on FAA beyond visual line of sight waivers. ACUASI was selected as one of the first seven FAA unmanned aircraft test sites. TEN ROWS NAME A MACHINE THE ROUNDS ARE NOT FINISHED Roughly $65 million is still expected to be awarded ahead of a federal deadline of October 30th. The next Friday is the next row. ## What we verified - The Alaska Department of Health Notice of Intent to Award spreadsheet lists 217 award rows totalling $207,690,348.33. [Alaska Department of Health](https://health.alaska.gov/media/tcvker5a/ak_rhtp_awardsnotice_2026.xlsx), primary document, 2026-09-14. - Ryan Air's award was notified on September 4th, in the fifth Friday release. [Alaska Department of Health](https://health.alaska.gov/media/tcvker5a/ak_rhtp_awardsnotice_2026.xlsx), primary document, 2026-09-14. - Ryan Air's funded project is titled Using Advanced Air Mobility Systems to Deliver Perishable Pharmaceuticals to Remote Destinations. [Alaska Department of Health](https://health.alaska.gov/media/tcvker5a/ak_rhtp_awardsnotice_2026.xlsx), primary document, 2026-09-14. - Tanana Chiefs Conference received $250,000 for a planning year on drone pharmaceutical delivery in Interior Alaska. [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services](https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-administration-announces-160-million-bring-cutting-edge-technology-drones-prescription), primary document, 2026-08-25. - The Tanana Chiefs Conference award is a planning grant rather than an implementation grant and was notified on August 14th. [Alaska Department of Health](https://health.alaska.gov/media/tcvker5a/ak_rhtp_awardsnotice_2026.xlsx), primary document, 2026-09-14. - The Tanana Chiefs planning project would connect a Fairbanks hub to 42 Interior Alaska villages across 94,000 square miles. [Alaska Department of Health](https://health.alaska.gov/media/tcvker5a/ak_rhtp_awardsnotice_2026.xlsx), primary document, 2026-09-14. - Tanana Chiefs says medication delivery delays of 5 to 14 days are common in winter. [Alaska Department of Health](https://health.alaska.gov/media/tcvker5a/ak_rhtp_awardsnotice_2026.xlsx), primary document, 2026-09-14. - The Tanana Chiefs planning project names the University of Alaska Fairbanks Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration as its partner on FAA beyond visual line of sight waiver requirements. [Alaska Department of Health](https://health.alaska.gov/media/tcvker5a/ak_rhtp_awardsnotice_2026.xlsx), primary document, 2026-09-14. - The Alaska Center for UAS Integration is a University of Alaska Fairbanks research program that was selected as one of the first seven FAA unmanned aircraft test sites. [Alaska Center for UAS Integration, University of Alaska Fairbanks](https://acuasi.alaska.edu/), primary document, 2026-09-14. - PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center received $6,518,029 to introduce the first robotic assisted minimally invasive surgeries to Southern Southeast Alaska. [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services](https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-administration-announces-160-million-bring-cutting-edge-technology-drones-prescription), primary document, 2026-08-25. - Alaska Stroke Coalition received $3,156,626 for a statewide AI imaging network across 21 acute care hospitals. [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services](https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-administration-announces-160-million-bring-cutting-edge-technology-drones-prescription), primary document, 2026-08-25. - Ten of the 217 Rural Health Transformation awards name a machine in their own title or summary, totalling $16,415,719.55. [Alaska Department of Health](https://health.alaska.gov/media/tcvker5a/ak_rhtp_awardsnotice_2026.xlsx), primary document, 2026-09-14. - The August 21st release was the largest round, with 105 projects worth $130,291,439.47. [Alaska Department of Health](https://health.alaska.gov/media/tcvker5a/ak_rhtp_awardsnotice_2026.xlsx), primary document, 2026-09-14. - Alaska will receive $272,174,856 from the Rural Health Transformation Program in the first year. [Alaska Department of Health](https://health.alaska.gov/en/education/rural-health-transformation-program/), primary document, 2026-09-14. - Alaska's first Rural Health Transformation budget period runs from December 29th, 2025 through October 30th. [Alaska Department of Health](https://health.alaska.gov/en/education/rural-health-transformation-program/), primary document, 2026-09-14. - All first year Rural Health Transformation funds must be fully spent by September 30th, 2027. [Alaska Department of Health](https://health.alaska.gov/en/education/rural-health-transformation-program/), primary document, 2026-09-14. - The Alaska Department of Health began releasing award decisions on Friday August 7th and releases them publicly each Friday. [Alaska Department of Health](https://health.alaska.gov/en/education/rural-health-transformation-program/), primary document, 2026-09-14. - Ryan Air serves 80 villages throughout Western Alaska. [Ryan Air](https://www.ryanalaska.com/), primary document, 2026-09-14. - Ryan Air operates 24 aircraft out of eight hubs. [Ryan Air](https://www.ryanalaska.com/), primary document, 2026-09-14. - Ryan Air started in 1953 in the village of Unalakleet and is managed by the third generation of the Ryan family. [Ryan Air](https://www.ryanalaska.com/), primary document, 2026-09-14. - Ryan Air's scheduled freight already carries furniture, clothing, food and medical supplies to the villages it serves. [Ryan Air](https://www.ryanalaska.com/), primary document, 2026-09-14. - 82 percent of Alaska communities depend on aviation for year round access. [Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, Division of Statewide Aviation](https://dot.alaska.gov/stwdav/), primary document, 2026-09-14. - 402 Alaskan communities depend on aviation for year round access, where aircraft often take the place of cars, school buses, semitrucks and ambulances. [Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, Division of Statewide Aviation](https://dot.alaska.gov/stwdav/), primary document, 2026-09-14. - The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities rural aviation system operates 235 airports. [Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, Division of Statewide Aviation](https://dot.alaska.gov/stwdav/), primary document, 2026-09-14. - CMS announced the Alaska awards as a $160 million investment across 142 projects on August 25th. [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services](https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-administration-announces-160-million-bring-cutting-edge-technology-drones-prescription), primary document, 2026-08-25. - Alaska Department of Health officials announced a fifth round of federal Rural Health Transformation Program awards. [Alaska Beacon, via the Petersburg Pilot](https://www.petersburgpilot.com/story/2026/09/10/news/alaska-continues-rollout-of-rural-health-transformation-program-awards/16084.html), report, 2026-09-10. - The reporter on the Alaska Beacon story carried by the Petersburg Pilot is James Brooks. [Alaska Beacon, via the Petersburg Pilot](https://www.petersburgpilot.com/story/2026/09/10/news/alaska-continues-rollout-of-rural-health-transformation-program-awards/16084.html), report, 2026-09-10. - The fifth round of Rural Health Transformation Program awards totalled $25.8 million. [Alaska Beacon, via the Petersburg Pilot](https://www.petersburgpilot.com/story/2026/09/10/news/alaska-continues-rollout-of-rural-health-transformation-program-awards/16084.html), report, 2026-09-10. - The fifth round funded 32 projects. [Alaska Beacon, via the Petersburg Pilot](https://www.petersburgpilot.com/story/2026/09/10/news/alaska-continues-rollout-of-rural-health-transformation-program-awards/16084.html), report, 2026-09-10. - Alaska has awarded more than $207 million in Rural Health Transformation Program funds to date. [Alaska Beacon, via the Petersburg Pilot](https://www.petersburgpilot.com/story/2026/09/10/news/alaska-continues-rollout-of-rural-health-transformation-program-awards/16084.html), report, 2026-09-10. - Ryan Air received $4,171,115 from the Rural Health Transformation Program. [Alaska Beacon, via the Petersburg Pilot](https://www.petersburgpilot.com/story/2026/09/10/news/alaska-continues-rollout-of-rural-health-transformation-program-awards/16084.html), report, 2026-09-10. - Ryan Air proposes to deploy autonomous cargo drones and electric vertical take off and landing aircraft. [Alaska Beacon, via the Petersburg Pilot](https://www.petersburgpilot.com/story/2026/09/10/news/alaska-continues-rollout-of-rural-health-transformation-program-awards/16084.html), report, 2026-09-10. - Ryan Air's proposal says the project addresses a near total lack of reliable affordable pharmaceutical access and medical transport in remote Alaska Native villages. [Alaska Beacon, via the Petersburg Pilot](https://www.petersburgpilot.com/story/2026/09/10/news/alaska-continues-rollout-of-rural-health-transformation-program-awards/16084.html), report, 2026-09-10. - Ryan Air's project targets patients and healthcare providers in the Bethel and Dillingham regions. [Alaska Beacon, via the Petersburg Pilot](https://www.petersburgpilot.com/story/2026/09/10/news/alaska-continues-rollout-of-rural-health-transformation-program-awards/16084.html), report, 2026-09-10. - Roughly $65 million of Alaska's first year allocation is still expected to be awarded ahead of a federal deadline of October 30th. [Alaska Beacon, via the Petersburg Pilot](https://www.petersburgpilot.com/story/2026/09/10/news/alaska-continues-rollout-of-rural-health-transformation-program-awards/16084.html), report, 2026-09-10. - The Alaska Department of Health received nearly 1,800 project proposals for the program. [Alaska Beacon, via the Petersburg Pilot](https://www.petersburgpilot.com/story/2026/09/10/news/alaska-continues-rollout-of-rural-health-transformation-program-awards/16084.html), report, 2026-09-10. - Alaska Commercial Company received $1.8 million in the same round for containerized hydroponic farms and says all of its project communities are off the road system. [Alaska Beacon, via the Petersburg Pilot](https://www.petersburgpilot.com/story/2026/09/10/news/alaska-continues-rollout-of-rural-health-transformation-program-awards/16084.html), report, 2026-09-10. - Alaska is slated to receive roughly $1.3 billion from the Rural Health Transformation Program over five years. [Alaska Beacon, via the Petersburg Pilot](https://www.petersburgpilot.com/story/2026/09/10/news/alaska-continues-rollout-of-rural-health-transformation-program-awards/16084.html), report, 2026-09-10. Slides and the deck PDF are linked from the canonical page.