Drone deliveries seem to be the way of the future as so many major delivery companies have invested so much time and money into this endeavor. Surprisingly though, not all of the biggest names in drone delivery are who you would expect. They are similar to commercial drones which are used as a way of providing customers with the best possible service.
Not only have big names stopped their research but they have been surpassed by some of the lower competitors. Find out just which companies are the best drone delivery companies and why.
5 Best Drone Delivery Companies
Even though there are issues with drone delivery, there are still many positive notions that make it worth investing in. Here are some of the best companies when it comes to the advancement and instituting drone delivery systems.
UPS Flight Forward
UPS being one of the leaders in the delivery world is of course making leaps and bounds in the research and development of drone deliveries. They have plans for both drone deliveries directly from warehouses but also drones to deliver from the trucks that are making rounds which will increase the efficiency of those trucks.
When did they start using drones for delivery? They plan to have their first drones in 2024
Are they certified? Yes
What kinds do they use? BETA Technologies VTOL Aircraft
What is the projection for this type of drone delivery service in the company’s future? They plan to implement home and commercial deliveries.
Amazon Prime Air
Amazon has spent some of the most time developing drone delivery for their Prime Air services. Despite their efforts though they have had some setbacks from their expected start in 2019, and unfortunately they have yet to announce a beginning date for their drone delivery services.
When did they start using drones for delivery? TBD
Are they certified? Yes
What kinds do they use? Amazon has tested many different drone designs and has yet to choose which specific drone they plan to use.
What is the projection for this type of drone delivery service in the company’s future? Amazon has hopes and plans to use its drones to begin implementing 30-minute deliveries.
Flytrex
Flytrex is one of the most advanced drone delivery companies because they are one of the first to actually begin implementation. As of right now, they only have drop-off locations available for North Carolina but there are plans to grow to more areas and even a possible partnership with Walmart.
When did they start using drones for delivery? 2017 in Reykjavik Iceland
Are they certified? Yes
What kinds do they use? Their own m600
What is the projection for this type of drone delivery service in the company’s future? They plan to move even further into deliveries to your personal back yard for groceries as well as take out.
Zipline
Zipline has a focus on deliveries specifically related to healthcare. They have worked with the U.S. military in high casualty simulations to quickly deliver mock blood and medical supplies.
While they primarily deliver in some African and Asian countries, they are beginning to move into the U.S.
When did they start using drones for delivery? They began in Rwanda in 2016.
Are they certified? Yes
What kinds do they use? A unique fully autonomous fixed-wing drone
What is the projection for this type of drone delivery service in the company’s future? While they are currently only working with the military and companies, they plan to move into home deliveries in the U.S. and have a trial setup in Arkansas with Walmart to deliver goods directly to homes.
Alphabet Wing
Wing is a subsidiary of Alphabet making drone deliveries possible. They currently deliver in Finland, Australia and the United States. They work to connect local and commercial businesses directly to consumers.
When did they start using drones for delivery? They launched in Australia in 2019
Are they certified? Yes
What kinds do they use? They use drones they developed themselves.
What is the projection for this type of drone delivery service in the company’s future? Wing has plans to expand from the small regions that they are currently based in in the US into the rest of the country.
What Is a Delivery Drone?
Drone delivery is just companies making deliveries via drones rather than drivers and trucks. This could be food or parcel deliveries depending on the weight. The weight of what you ordered will determine if a drone can make the delivery but it is an interesting concept to consider when it becomes more readily available.
How Does a Drone Delivery Company Work?
The primary idea of drone deliveries is to have systems set up for deliveries in local areas. This eliminates having trucks driving all over the place and causing additional traffic. Drone delivery also cuts down on the environmental impact that delivery companies make with their emissions.
Hurdles Associated With Drone Delivery
As great and interesting of a concept and innovation drone delivery is, like any other idea, there are some issues that would affect it.
Flight Range
The flight range of many drones is unfortunately not as far as you would have hoped. If you look at companies like Flytrex, their drones can currently only perform a 5 mile round trip. This means you would need to be within 2.5 miles of their central location.
UPS has a great solution to a problem such as this with their plan to have drones built into their trucks and make deliveries directly from the truck while the drive also completes closer deliveries.
Unpredictable Weather
Weather is a determining factor in almost every facet of modern society. Flights and deliveries can easily be delayed because of strong winds or complete downpours that create unsafe conditions.
Drones will likely be no exception as they can be blown off course by prevailing winds into areas they should not be. Perhaps as technology advances, there will be programs that can analyze the current weather and create a flight pattern that accounts for those influences. Currently, however, drones are still very susceptible to unpredictable weather.
Drone Flying Restrictions & Regulations
One of the biggest hurdles for drone flights is regulations and permits. Especially in cities, it is difficult to fly drones around as they can be intrusive on an individual’s privacy.
In some cases, legal drones will be set up in their programming to not allow them to enter certain areas that have been zoned as off limits. To take full advantage of drone delivery, you would need to live in the right area.
Traceability & Accountability
Accountability and traceability of drones is the key to keeping areas safe and free from any sort of intrusion or theft. With drones, they cannot deliver packages up close onto a porch as easily as an actual person. This could possibly leave your order exposed and vulnerable to porch pirates.
If you are in an apartment building in the city this opens a new set of problems where you may have no access at all to drone delivery outside of a shared delivery area.
If there are any sorts of accidents caused by drones or that involve drones, you will need to contact the company responsible for that drone. There are issues that will arise with there needing to be individual recognition of each drone in particular as well as companies requiring proof of their drones causing the damages.
It may be necessary to require drones to have cameras of their actions while in public but this opens another door into issues of personal privacy of any property that the drone flys over.
Drones Taking Flight
Drone delivery is definitely a near reality that is no longer a dream for many. There have been drone companies and services that have been successfully implemented all over the world and could soon be coming to you! In a few years, it could be expected to see take-out, delivery, and drone delivery as options for your favorite restaurant.
FAQ
There does not seem to be one specific drone that excels at delivering since each company seems to develop its own unique drone. But the most common design is built to act as a helicopter to keep your order undisturbed and from bouncing around.
Currently, very few companies are using widespread drone delivery systems. Only a few such as Zipline, Flytrex, and Wing have really begun implementations for full-scale use in the near future.
Up until 2021 FedEx was researching and trying to implement drone deliveries. However, as of April 2021, they have prioritized other research and development instead of a drone delivery system.
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