The Drone Delivery Game Has Begun
Drone delivery is the new game which has the big players in the transportation industry competing. The idea starts from the flexibility of the drone delivery service regarding energy usage, time and space.
The players
The Pizza Boy
The pizza boy is a phrase associated with the old system of food delivery. The Flytrex company from Tel Aviv is changing this old delivery service with a new and more advanced one by using drones to deliver goods. Since 2017, this company has had it’s first project in the city of Reykjavik, Iceland with their partner company AHA, one of Iceland’s largest eCommerce companies.
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Flytrex
Guided by their motto “Start your own drone delivery service, cheaper, faster and tip – free”, Flytrex is trying to implement takeaway delivered by drones as reliable service. The company claims that this new transportation using UAV’s can shorten the 25 minute car ride to a 4 minute drone flight.
This drone delivery service operates between two islands and can carry only one delivery per flight. Flytrex is aiming to deliver more goods per one flight in the near future. The company is also claiming that they are saving more than 60 percent per delivery, just with this service. This drone delivery service is offered as part of AHA eCommerce company service to make the delivery process easier in Iceland’s weather and terrain conditions. After the customer orders the product, the drone delivers it from the nearest courier that can transport it to the final customer.
The Veteran
A veteran is a person who has had a long service or experience in a particular occupation or field. Amazon is a company which has been in the online market with this name since 1995. With full expertise and knowledge, Amazon is one of the largest companies in the world in eCommerce. But, a company as big as Amazon cannot afford to be out played by others from this industry. Besides many tools and services, the company offers their revolutionary drone delivery service. Amazon might be the biggest player in the game. Since December 2017 Amazon Prime Air has had a drone delivery service. The company’s aim is to deliver goods to customers in less than 30 minutes, with speeds up to 50 miles per hour. When this idea will become a mainstream reality though, is still unclear.
The Urban Skywalker
In the heavy terrain and even heavier conditions in Reit im Winkl, Germany, DHL is preparing their warrior for the game. According to Jurgen Derges, one of the Management Board Members for post eCommerce, their last released Parcelcopter 3.0 makes DHL the first worldwide company that is able to offer drone transport. The new Parcelcopter 3.0, combined with the fully automated loading and unloading process, has increased transport load and range. Derges claims that they have achieved the level of technical and procedural maturity to eventually release the service for trips in urban areas.
The Humanitarian
The robotic company Zipline is another game changer with their idea to create the fastest drone delivery service to transport blood in Rwanda. The drone will fly with a top speed of 128 km/h (80 mph) and cruising speed of 101 km/h (63 mph). This company has a different perspective about the game, and since 2016 they have been working to make it happen in other countries as well. The company claims that it can transform a ten minute flight into a one minute flight. Zipline is now working with with the Federal Aviation Administration and trying to make this type of drone delivery possible in USA by the end of 2018.
The Playing Field
The drone delivery game is mainly inspired by the terrain. The hard to access terrain in Rwanda, the cruel and hard climate in Iceland, and the big open spaces in the desserts and fields are the main field of play. Weather conditions and state regulations are the rules by which this game needs to be played. All of the players are training and making strategies on how to better understand and adjust to the rules by inventing in their field.
Hard accessible areas, drone delivery in Africa, harsh conditions, distance and battery are the problems.
So, why?
The reward
The game has just begun and all the players are trying hard to win. Through time, it is likely that new players will join and change the game according to their skills. It is still too soon to determine the winner, but the benefit of playing the game is only getting higher.
The overall impact from this game that we have seen by now could change the entire planet and the way we live on it. The fully automated processes and the cost efficiency of it will definitely make life easier and impact the environment for the better.