Drone-based last-mile delivery startup, DroneUp, hopes to move last-mile logistics further into the mainstream with its drone delivery technology, partnering with retail giants like Walmart, 7-Eleven and Chick-fil-A to reach consumers in a hurry.
The company’s proprietary autonomous drone “Ecosystem” hopes to address ground logistics challenges that have long hindered drone delivery efficiency.
Central to DroneUp’s solution is the introduction of the DBX, an automated, climate-controlled storage locker, which it is looking to set up in select markets starting this year. The retail partnerships were first reported by Axios.
The locker acts as a hub for package pickup and delivery, streamlining the process through advanced robotics and software automation. Workers scan barcodes to access the locker, where packages are weighed, balanced and stored for drone pickup.
The rollout also features a suite of software featuring flight control, navigation, airspace management, logistics management and safety-enhancing tools.
The autonomous drones, equipped with a claw-like grabber, travel at speeds of up to 60 mph and can carry packages weighing up to 10 pounds over a 30-mile range.
This technology enables quick and efficient delivery, with drones automatically navigating to and from designated landing pads atop the DBX.
DroneUp’s system not only promises faster and more reliable delivery but also significantly reduces costs by eliminating labor expenses associated with traditional last-mile logistics.
Tom Walker, founder and CEO of DroneUp, says the revolution to transform last-mile logistics is driven by both technology and economics.
“Large retail and QSR partners are already conducting billions of deliveries every year and have in-built customer demand,” he says. “Moving volume from human and ground-based deliveries to autonomous drone deliveries unlocks instant scale efficiencies.”
Walker says by reducing the human touchpoints involved in last-mile delivery, the company can lower delivery costs to the retailer.
“In essence, we have developed end-to-end autonomy, from the moment the package is received into the DBX for delivery to the moment it’s in the hands of its recipient,” he says.
Within that window is an autonomous flight plan with “one to many” control, which enables a single operator to monitor many drones instead of flying just one.
Beyond this is software autonomy, which includes digitized maps and advanced flight coordination features, including “detect-and-avoid” technology.
“The footprint of the DBX is the size of a single parking space, giving it the kind of flexibility to be situated in a Walmart parking lot, a strip mall, or adjacent to any main street in the United States – practically anywhere,” Walker says.
He calls that type of access a “game-changer” for how retailers in any of these settings can engage with their customers.
Walker says that while he’s convinced drone-enabled last-mile delivery is here today, he admits there is more work to be done.
“We anticipate more logistics teams bringing in new drone technology, which will also help further the regulatory discussions so that drone technology is more widely adopted,” he says. “We have a long history of working with local communities to educate them about the safety and sustainability of drones for delivery.”
Gartner analyst Pedro Pacheco points out major tech players in the last-mile drone delivery service market include Amazon and Google.
“Those are pretty worthy competitors, but the market for this type of last-mile delivery is quite promising,” he says. “Whether the technology is adopted depends on overcoming several hurdles, however.”
Pacheco points out that key to the success of the concept is the ability to scale up the service to reach a growing number of consumers and markets, which raises air traffic control issues and safety concerns for consumers in densely populated areas.
“Along with automated air traffic control, scalable solutions for managing thousands of drones are also needed, especially as delivery services expand,” he explains. “Delivery methods vary, including touch-and-go, cable-dropped parcels, and structured storage for package retrieval.”
Challenges will arise with urban deliveries, due to complex landing logistics, highlighting the advantages of rural areas for drone operations.
“This is going to develop step by step, which means regulators also have to think long-term,” Pacheco says.
