The technology to deliver packages by drones directly to consumers’ doorsteps has been slow, but it could finally take flight in 2024.
ZiplineAccording to Yahoo Finance,, a drone-delivery outfit in San Francisco is planning to remove the chocks from a few projects in U.S. Cities next year. The company plans to fly in 15 cities by 2025.
Since more than a year, drones have made deliveries all over the world. But they’ve been limited to medical supplies and emergencies. The FAA has opened the doors to wider use of unmanned aircraft with a rule amendment in September.
The FAA had previously required that drones used for delivery be within eyeshot of ground observers located along the drone route. In the fall of 2016, the FAA granted Zipline, along with two other drone firms, an exemption to allow them to conduct commercial deliveries without any visual observers.
Rob Enderle is the president and principal analyst of The Enderle GroupA firm that provides advisory services in Bend Oregon, “opens up the possibility of autonomous drone delivery which will be crucial to scaling this technology from both a cost- and staffing-perspective.”
Zipline announced in a blog post on its site that this exemption from the FAA is a major shift in logistics and access to the U.S.
Zipline can now scale up to deliver food and medicine to millions of Americans, as well as consumer goods and other products, on-demand, in an eco-friendly way. The result is 97% fewer carbon emissions per delivery, than with a gas-powered car.
There are no exemptions, only rules.
Adam Robertson, Chief Technology Officer at Fortem TechnologiesThe development of this industry has been slowed down by “exemptions”, according to a Pleasant Grove, Utah-based company that provides airspace awareness and security.
He told TechNewsWorld that it is taking much longer to reach drone delivery than anyone had ever anticipated. “For drone delivery, we must have enabling regulation and not fly by special exception.
Jeff Bezos was one of those who saw drone delivery becoming a reality quickly. In an episode of CBS’s “60 Minutes” from a decade ago, Jeff Bezos predicted that Amazon would receive FAA approvals to use drones in four to five years.
Tom Walker is the founder and CEO of the company. He said: “He misjudged his speed.” DroneUp, a drone-delivery company headquartered in Virginia Beach (Va.).
He told TechNewsWorld that there was a lack in awareness of where the regulatory puck would be.
Robertson said that “the regulatory environment” has been the slowest part and continues to remain so.
He continued, “Companies that deliver drones in the U.S. do so only as an exception to regulations.” “The FAA has a great record of safety in manned aviation. But there is much more work to be done before drones can safely be integrated into national airspace.”
“It’s got to be drone deliveries by following the rules. Not by exception to the existing restrictions,” he said.
Air Traffic Control Questions
Nevertheless, FAA’s decision to allow drones to be delivered out of sight from their operators is crucial for the expansion of this technology.
Walker explained that the main issue was reducing the cost of delivery. In order to achieve this, we will need to use remote operations with visual out-of sight.
By Q3 2024, he said, “we will begin visual out of sight deliveries. It will also start to scale.”
Enderle agrees that scaling is a major problem. It isn’t cost-effective because of FAA rules, and limitations in the technology.
He also said that the progress of drone hardware was impressive, but the air traffic control issue still remained.
“We’re having difficulty staffing the air traffic system and it appears barely able handle commercial aircraft,” explained he. “We could end up putting thousands upon thousands of drones into the air without any kind of central control. They are dangerous and even deadly.”
Demand Doubted
Mark N. Vena President and principal analyst, SmartTech Research San Jose, Calif. residents expressed their skepticism regarding drone deliveries to consumers.
“I’m not sure there is material demand for such a capability, as companies like Amazon — and others — already do same-day delivery for many products, and few items need to be delivered via drone for immediate delivery,” he told TechNewsWorld.
“For routine delivery,” he said “existing systems can often suffice. Questioning the urgency of drone implementation.”
He added that “established delivery methods can meet the needs of consumers in urban areas, but it is questionable whether drone deliveries’ added complexity and costs are truly aligned with consumer essential demands.”
Meal delivery is one area that requires rapid delivery.
“We’re doing deliveries for a quick service restaurant,” Walker said. “We have a 90% reordering rate, and deliver within 15.9 minutes of the order being placed. You don’t even have to tip the drone. “Consumers really like it.”
He also mentioned another benefit that his company discovered. He noted that “two in five Americans” have been victims of porch theft. “Because our deliveries are made to the backyard, there have been zero reports of porch crime.”
Simulated delivery of packages by a Zipline drone to a backyard.
Last Mile
If there’s one sector of the economy that would welcome expanded drone delivery, it’s package delivery firms — since the technology has the potential to reduce drastically the costs of the “last mile.”
Enderle noted that “the last mile is expensive and labor-intensive, and the rise in thefts, violence and other crimes makes it unsafe for motorists and costly for retailers.”
Walker stated that 90% all packages delivered today into neighborhoods weigh less than eight pounds, and 90% are stored on a shelf no more than five miles from a residence. He added: “Yet, we have trucks that weigh six and ten tons driving over aging infrastructure with rising fuel and labor costs.”
He continued: “With a Drone, we can deliver up 10 pounds and it will cost less than $3 instead of $16 or $20.”
“It’s Christmas 2023 and the majority of my Christmas shopping this year was delivered directly to my front door by a delivery van and a man running up to my porch and dropping a box, taking a photo, and ringing my bell,” said Robertson.
He said, “The amount human labor is enormous.” “That last mile or two is expensive, both in terms of resources and time. It will be economically viable to replace human-centric delivery in the last mile with drones.
Editor’s note: All images and videos featured in this post are credited Zipline.
