DroneUp debuts Ecosystem technology
To help meet the needs of brands needing to quickly reach their customers, DroneUp is debuting its new Ecosystem, which comprises new technology designed to make drone delivery both scalable and economically feasible, the company said.
The DroneUp Ecosystem’s technology brings to life a network of bi-directional, charging capable infrastructure that can make affordable, scalable, expedited last mile delivery a reality, the company said. Each Ecosystem consists of centralized operations stations. Delivery missions are enabled by fully autonomous technology at client drop off and customer pick up sites.
[Read more: DroneUp expands Walmart drone delivery in Arkansas]
"Throughout the last few years, while working with leading retailers and QSRs, we have learned that end customers and communities love the speed and convenience of drone delivery. Survey after survey indicates 80+ NPS scores that we have never seen in the last-mile and instant delivery space," said Tom Walker, CEO of DroneUp.
Walker continued, "We also learnt that retailers and QSR brands want us to have a clear glide path that brings the cost of drone delivery lower than currently being offered by human-based delivery while maintaining high safety and dependability levels. With our autonomous ecosystem we are able to meet those customer demands and provide a solution capable of doing millions of deliveries every day. We are combining drone technology with ground infrastructure and on demand delivery like it has never been done before."
Drone delivery continues to grow in popularity across the country, but to this point, it has been centered around more suburban, single-family residences. With the Ecosystem, DroneUp is bringing the power of drone delivery to the masses.
With rising prices and the continued threat of industrial action, legacy last mile delivery and logistics practices are causing brands to increase their prices, which contributes to a declining customer experience and loss of revenue opportunities.
[Read more: Walmart’s Drone Delivery takes off in Texas with DroneUp]
DroneUp’s Ecosystem provides a model where conventional delivery is limited to large packages with logistics no longer bound by traditional limitations. The future of same-day consumer delivery is in the sky and DroneUp’s Ecosystem can deliver faster, better and cheaper than traditional alternatives, the company said.
The DroneUp Ecosystem has been built to revolutionize last mile delivery. The Ecosystem consists of both cooperative and standalone technologies that put autonomy at the core of it. Deliveries are based on centralized loading points called a Destination Box, which are temperature-controlled standalone units that have the capacity to hold up to 30 packages at a time. DBXs are planned for community use, are vendor agnostic with the ability to be interoperable with any drone with the right specifications, and provide two-way transportation of packages - both delivery and pickup options for consumers. The DBX also incorporates drone charging capabilities to extend the reach of each delivery and eliminate the need for battery swaps, a standard barrier with all drone operations.
New Ground Infrastructure: Depots provide drone storage, charging and maintenance; the Destination Box, the size of a parking space is a temperature-controlled autonomous smart container for the loading and unloading of packages; Loading Terminals designed to be integrated at customer facilities; and Charging Pads offer fast charging in a lightweight, modular form factor.
New Aircraft Platforms: Purpose-built autonomous aircraft coupled with the delivery mechanisms and interfaces to operate with the ground infrastructure.
New Operating System: A software system integrates control suite, including flight control, navigation, airspace management, logistics management and safety-enhancing tools.
DroneUp will be launching its first ecosystem in Q2 2024 in Dallas giving access to selected partners as part of its Early Partners Program.