Valqari has secured a patent in the US for its drone landing pad that can be mounted outside a window. The Chicago-based startup says this device would allow those living in high rises to send and receive packages easily via drones. At the same time, a window-mounted drone delivery station would also help to fend off package theft.
Problems with prevailing models of drone delivery
While many companies are considering drones as a viable technology for delivery services, Valqari points out that one of the potential issues with using drones to deliver packages is that of theft.
The company argues that since drones are visible from the ground, and typically have shorter ranges than traditional truck delivery, potential thieves will be able to follow drones to their destination and steal the package after it has been left at the recipient’s doorstep.
Moreover, in areas with busy streets and high rises housing thousands of tenants, packages simply cannot be left in front of buildings. Not only would this encourage theft, according to Valqari, but it would also create a public safety hazard as doors and streets would become blocked.
The company also points to obstacles, such as low-hanging branches or covered porches, that make it impractical if not impossible for drones to deliver goods to the ground level.
This is why Valqari is pushing for a landing pad with a secure storage compartment that can be used by drones as a convenient and safe place to deliver or pick up packages.
Also read: Amazon drone delivery program ‘never going to get off the ground’
Window landing pad for delivery drones
Valqari says its landing pad can be configured to fit into a standard window, so that it is “more accessible to drones, and less accessible to thieves.” For mounting the device, various methods such as brackets, adhesives, and magnets can be used. The portion that faces into the building can have the digital interface as well as the door to the lockable compartment.
This landing pad can also be configured to stand alone, either on a rooftop or in a field with climate control mechanisms.
Valqari is further considering versions of this delivery station that would allow it to double up as a clock, an LED advertisement panels, or a customizable decorative device. Multiple landing pads can also be placed on the same building and networked together to create visual designs – similar to how some high rises black out certain windows to form words or designs. Basically, the company is open to experimenting.
From where will this delivery station get its juice? The patent file says the power for the landing pad can come from solar energy, battery energy, or electricity from a wall outlet.
Ryan Walsh, founder and CEO of Valqari, sums up:
As commercial drone deliveries become inevitable, it will be a necessity that businesses around the world are equipped with Valqari’s complete solution. Our technology will pave the way for the eventual progression into residential deliveries in urban, suburban, and rural areas, with Valqari’s long-term goal of eliminating the need for traditional mailboxes.
Walsh has previously hinted that, to ensure adoption, he aims to keep the price of a personal drone delivery station below $1,500.
It’s worth noting that Valqari’s latest patent covers other forms of drone delivery stations too, including a mailbox-style landing pad and another that doubles up as a wireless charging station for the drone.
Read more: After AgEagle, Valqari gives drone delivery box manufacturing order to Draganfly
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