DELIVERING INNOVATION
Since drones first made their way onto the
scene, companies have been looking for ways
to maximize their use in the haulage and
distribution industry. And though we may be
a way off replacing semi-trucks with drones,
our flying machines are already performing
tasks that we would never have imagined them
doing some ten years ago, at a price point
that’s scalable.
In today’s on-demand economy, where
consumers expect immediate delivery, drones
allow e-commerce businesses to accelerate
delivery times and compete on a greater level.
It goes without saying that Amazon is the king
of e-commerce and delivery, though any firm
can take advantage of drone technology to
overcome traffic congestion and navigation
paths to have their products, services, and food
delivered to their customers in break-neck speed.
A 2016 study found that 79% of US consumers
said they would be “very likely” or “somewhat
likely” to request drone delivery if their
package could be delivered within an hour,
and just four years later, Amazon Prime Air is now
delivering packages to customers in select
locations via drone as part of ongoing testing.
The giant’s new drone delivery system allows
packages of up to 5lbs to be carried up to ten
miles - solving the “last-mile delivery” problem
that causes so many packages to be delayed.
UPS is also tapping into the drone market,
proposing mini-helipads on the roofs of their
vans to allow drones to take the final mile
of the route. Called UPS Flight Forward, the
distribution company received FAA approval
Image: United Parcel Service of America, Inc