Drone mailbox maker Valqari acquires autonomous docking specialist IDU Group

Chicago-based Valqari, which offers drone delivery stations and smart mailboxes, says it has acquired UK’s IDU Group to further “last-inch” logistics with drone technologies.

The US startup wants to make drone delivery accessible to both large commercial establishments and single-family homes. Valqari’s patented drone delivery stations are weatherproof, theft-proof, and temperature-controlled, which means they can also receive items like food and pharmaceuticals in addition to regular drone deliveries. The company has also designed a drone landing pad that can be mounted outside a window in high-rise buildings.

Staffordshire-based IDU Group brings complementary expertise to the table, building smart infrastructure required to help commercialize drone delivery.

Valqari CEO and founder Ryan Walsh points out that IDU Group has mastered autonomous docking and delivery handoff, which is critical for unlocking scalable drone delivery. As such, joining forces with the company will allow Valqari to cover every aspect of universal drone delivery infrastructure.

Here’s Walsh:

Adding IDU’s impressive and extensive team and technology gives us an even stronger platform to offer our customers. Our vision is to provide customers with the solution that best fits their needs, all on one interconnected platform for ease of use by the various drone operators. We will be working tirelessly to provide the next generation of drone infrastructure using the best of both of our technologies under the Valqari flag, offering customers Valqari’s current line of drone delivery stations and drone mailboxes, as well as incorporating IDU’s SmartBox into our product portfolio.

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As part of this deal, Kevin Duckers, founder and former CEO of IDU Group, will become the chief operations officer (COO) of Valqari.

Stressing that both the companies have shared a strong relationship for several years now, Duckers says, “By joining Valqari, we will be able to establish the next generation of drone infrastructure and offer our clients, investors, and stakeholders a bigger, better, and more diverse range of innovative products.”

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