NEW HEIGHTS
Walmart, 7-11, and Chick-fil-A launch new project to speed up every shopping trip – you won’t even need to go to a store
The tech keeps your food or drinks at the right temperature
WALMART, Chick-fil-A, and 7-11 are rolling out new technology that aims to deliver items to customers in a matter of minutes.
The three mega-brands will be the first companies to launch a new drone delivery service with the Virginia startup DroneUp.
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DroneUp CEO Tom Walker introduced the company's proprietary autonomous drone "ecosystem" on Tuesday, saying it could revolutionize last-mile logistics.
The system differs from existing drone delivery because it includes a climate-controlled locker, referred to as DBX, where drones pick up packages.
The DBX is said to be smaller than a single parking space, allowing smaller retailers to use the new technology too.
The lockers can serve as delivery hubs on college campuses and in cities, giving more people access to drone delivery.
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The company says the secure lockers will help ward off porch pirates and can be used by customers seeking to make returns as well.
When making deliveries, the drones automatically know where to go in the sky, and have the power to avoid any aircraft along the way.
Throughout the last few years, our work with leading retailers and quick-service restaurants has provided us with valuable insights into the speed and convenience that end customers desire from drone delivery."
DroneUp CEO Tom Walker
They travel 60 miles per hour within a 30-mile range and pick up packages using a claw-like grabber that can carry up to 10 pounds safely.
HOW IT WORKS
The first step in the drove delivery is a customer placing an order online.
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Retail or restaurant staff will then box up the customer's order and attach a specific barcode to the package.
Once the box is scanned into the system, an employee will place it into the DBX locker, where it is weighed and shelved for pickup.
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The locker is climate-controlled, meaning the items are kept at the right temperature.
When the item is ready, a drone is dispatched to the landing pad on top of the DBX.
The drone lands on top of the locker and the item is loaded onto the drone via a platform that raises from the top of the DBX.
The company says that the drones are remotely piloted for speed and efficiency as the item heads to its dropoff location.
The entire process is shown in a video on DroneUp's website, which notes that each drone can make 50 deliveries per hour.
"Order goes from store to customer in a matter of minutes," the company said.
The customer then grabs the box from the dropoff point, whether it be their front step or another convenient location.
'DEMOCRATIZING AIRSPACE'
DroneUp has been working with retailers and quick-service restaurants for years, gaining valuable insight into the speed and convenience that customers want from drone delivery, the CEO said.
Walker believes that combining "flying robots" with ground-based automation will allow retailers to lower the cost of delivery.
The average cost of drone delivery is $38 per trip, but 80% of that cost is due to labor, according to Walker.
"When we put in a DBX, all that labor cost comes out. So overnight, my delivery cost goes from $38 to sub-$10," the CEO told Axios.
"I'm now competitive with every other last-mile provider, but I'm faster and more reliable."
Walker believes that this solves many common problems involved in the delivery process.
"We're going to democratize the airspace," he said.
"You could be Joe's Tailor Shop and you can have access to this for the same price that a Walmart has access to it.
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"All you have to do is print out the barcode and put the barcode on the package."
DroneUp has already rolled out the DBX in Virginia Beach and Dallas and plans to expand to other markets in late 2024.
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