Drone Delivery

Wingcopter, the German company with an innovative eVTOL aircraft, has joined the Flying Labs network as a technology partner. As it states in a news release, “The goal of the partnership is to improve supply chains through locally led cargo drone projects and to equip local talent with the skills to operate Wingcopter’s unmanned systems in long range drone applications, including beyond visual line of sight.” Let’s find out more.

Drone delivery company Flirtey has announced it will work with Vault Health to deliver at-home COVID-19 tests to limit exposure between people and make it more convenient for those far away from test locations.

Israel has announced its plans to put delivery drones to the test this March in a trial that will see 20 drones from five companies hit the sky. The trial will help the companies and the Israeli government work through the regulatory hurdles currently blocking drones.

We are, as always, in a changing world. But few sectors are changing quite as rapidly as commercial and enterprise drones.

Drone company WeRobotics has announced it has been selected to work with Pfizer to develop a new drone to deliver COVID-19 vaccines. The pharmaceutical company has chosen to develop the cargo drone from DJI’s new Matrice 300 drone platform.

A consortium has announced plans to develop a network that will use drones to deliver critical medical supplies, including medications, blood, and organs. Those behind it believe it may hold the potential to “revolutionize” aspects of healthcare delivery in Scotland.

We’ve all heard of drone delivery by now – even though most deliveries currently taking place are on a trial basis. Well, a new model is apparently coming to Israel that will see drones carry pizzas for part of the delivery cycle.

Drone deliveries have taken off in Latvia for the first time, delivering tablets to seniors to allow them to connect with loved ones. The drone delivery was a result of a partnership between LMT, SPH Engineering, and DPD Latvija.

The city of Pea Ridge, Arkansas, has unanimously approved Walmart to begin delivery of health and wellness products using Zipline’s delivery drones. The two partnered last year but have been waiting for the go-ahead for the last few months.

Residents on the Scottish Isle of Mull will soon be consulted to see if they would be open to delivery drones flying in the sky. A drone trial is also expected to take place in the new year after a parcel was flown from the mainland to the island earlier this month.

ZM Interactive (ZMI) has announced its new range of xFold drones with flight times of eight hours and a payload capacity of 1,000 pounds. The new drones can switch between x4 (quad), x6 (hexa), X8 (octo), and X12 (dodeca) configurations in minutes.

Korean drone company PABLO AIR completed its first simultaneous drone delivery over a 50-mile circular flight late last month. The drones delivered emergency medicines and everyday items from mainland Korea to nearby islands.

An architecture firm in Canberra, Australia, has created digital renderings of an upcoming development, including drone delivery areas for residents to safely collect their parcels. JUDD Studio has created the futuristic design for the upcoming 152-unit East Garden Apartments.

Vodafone and Ericsson have hit a milestone with their network-backed drone delivery service after completing successful test flights in Germany. The testing was completed at Vodafone’s innovation center in Aldenhoven, Germany.

Amazon has let go of some of its research and development and manufacturing employees for its drone delivery service in favor of outsourcing. The company has already signed two deals with companies to manufacture some of the parts used in the custom delivery drones.

Japan Airlines (JAL) has turned to delivery drones to transport emergency supplies to a hard-to-reach city in a mountainous area of western Japan. The flight which took place on Wednesday is a test for future permanent drone deliveries in the region.

Drone Delivery Canada (DDC) has shared an update on its Robin XL delivery drone testing, with numerous critical aspects being successfully tested. All the testing was completed with the approval of Transport Canada at a rural location.

Matternet has launched its drone delivery program in Berlin, Germany, to deliver medical samples between hospitals, with permanent flights expected to occur in the new year. Matternet will be working with German company Labor Berlin to speed up its sample delivery network.

Thales Group has completed the preliminary design review for the Vantis statewide BVLOS network being built in North Dakota. The milestone means Thales can now begin integrating surveillance systems and communications infrastructure into the great McKenzie county area for future drone deliveries.

Volansi is expanding its capacity for middle-mile drone delivery services with a new facility in Oregon’s Bend area. This location, says a news release, “will support the company’s expansion as it develops, produces, and tests its next generation of industry-defining delivery aircraft.”

Singaporean drone delivery company F-drones has just hit 100 autonomous test flights with its proprietary drone platform. The 100th test flight happened to be the same flight that saw its delivery drone complete the first commercial night-time drone delivery.