Nowadays, companies are starting to use drones for package delivery. It is very profitable because the cost of delivering a package by a drone is about $0.20, while delivering the same package by courier is about $ 2-8. It also saves time because the drone will deliver such shipment much faster. Often, delivery drones are used inside the company to transport goods between warehouses.
Uber Eats plans to use such technology. The company has unveiled more details about its plans for drone delivery in mid-2019. In 2019, the drones were in the testing phase and by the end of 2023 it is planned to put them into service.
Drones have the ability to travel a maximum of eight minutes, including loading and unloading. The total flight range is 18 miles, with a round-trip delivery range of 12 miles. The cargo capacity for the drone is a meal for two.
These devices were not intended to completely replace uber’s suppliers. First, the package with the order would be attached to the bottom of the drone. Then it would transport it to the deliverer and land on the roofs of delivery cars. And then the deliverer would have a much shorter way to the customer.
The first tests were scheduled to begin in San Diego in 2020, but no new information is available so far. Bringing delivery drones into common use could surely improve meal delievery. Maybe even in the future, drones could complately replace deliverers.
Sources:
https://techcrunch.com/2019/10/28/heres-what-the-uber-eats-delivery-drone-looks-like/
https://www.theverge.com/2019/10/28/20936410/uber-eats-food-delivery-drone-design
Wow this looks very futuristic. I wonder how are they going to deal with certain weather conditions? Also, I wouldn’t want drones flying by my window. But the idea does sound cool. Almost like like Luc Besson’s 5th Element 🙂