With the recent Coronavirus outbreak, the use of mail and delivery service has increased dramatically. Fears of face to face contact with delivery parcels has become an ongoing concern for people relying on delivery services for groceries and other products they are ordering online.
The United Parcel Service (UPS) announced their collaboration with German-based electric aircraft drone start-up, Wingcopter, to help enhance the expected takeover of package delivering drones. Delivery drones aren’t new to the mailing and shipping industry. In 2014, a dutch student created a prototype “ambulance drone” to assist with the fast delivery of defibrillators to paramedic This was one of the first stories of drones being the main point of communication to remotely send over necessary supplies.
The collaboration with Wingcopter and UPS will be the first venture in utilizing drone manufacturing for commercial flight of delivering supplies. The first drone delivery trial started this past February with their collaboration with Merck & Co. This test was a visual project to have the drone fly over inhabited regions to overlook electric power lines, traffic, people, etc.
Many companies are doing their best to help with the COVID-19 pandemic with implementing ways to make complete contact with one another as least as possible. Food delivery third parties – like UberEats, DoorDash, and PostMates – are implementing a “leave at the door” feature for food deliveries. Local companies are also doing their part, with family owned grocery stores being opened at a certain time or the elderly to do their shopping before the big rush. Suntuity Airworks, a national UAV and drone services company, is utilizing their drone services for emergency medical drop offs, as well as other important necessities.
During this crisis, drones have taken a step to the front lines when it comes to immediate servicing. With the delivery option being much more prevalent in these trying times, the drone industry has put their best foot forward into helping those in need at this time.
Sources:
https://www.benzinga.com/news/20/03/15663327/ups-seeks-to-accelerate-growth-of-drone-delivery
https://phys.org/news/2014-10-ambulance-drone-prototype-unveiled-holland.html
