Messenger drones are now a reality! Just recently we saw companies such as Continental proposing their robot dogs, but that’s still some time away. In contrast, Project Wing, the drone company owned by Alphabet (Google’s main subsidiary) launched its delivery service in Canberra (Australia).
After 18 months of testing and more than 3,000 successful shipments, Project Wing began what for many seemed complicated to accomplish: Messenger drones. Through these, customers can order food, hot coffee, among many more products using an application from the comfort of their homes, where the couriers will finally arrive in a short time.
In a statement, the company announced that:
“The feedback we have received during the trials has been valuable, and has helped us refine our operations to better meet the needs and expectations of the communities in which we operate.”
Here’s all you need to know about messenger drones
In the communiqué they explain:
“Whether your child is sick at home and you ran out of paracetamol, you forgot to buy fresh bread at the store, or you simply want to order your breakfast without the hassle of driving to the coffee shop. Wing is working hand in hand with local Canberra businesses to give customers the opportunity to receive a range of products in just a few minutes.”
However, the courier drone service has some restrictions:
The drones will only be able to fly towards selected houses and will not be able to fly over main streets or approach people. Deliveries can be made between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturdays. In addition, those who wish to be part of the technological experience will receive training on how to interact with the messenger drones.
Alphabet beats Amazon in the use of drones
In order for Alphabet to win this battle, it had to go through many regulatory tests, for example, related to the noise drones make and the weight of the drones. But despite all the obstacles, Australia is the first country in the world to regulate drone courier services.
Alphabet is thus ahead of its main rival, Amazon, which has been testing drones and courier robots in the US and UK for some time. However, they have not received the long-awaited approval to operate commercially.
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