Forget running to a Starbucks or Peet’s for daily coffee because now coffee can be dropped off at customer's homes via drone.
Coffee maker Nespresso is working with Airwayz, SkylinX and FlytechIL on a pilot program to deliver coffee capsules to a targeted group in the Tel Aviv, Israel, municipality of Jaffa.
Nespresso said the pilot program will help to pave the way for last-mile subscription delivery of coffee as well as other products via unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
Under the program, drones will evaluate delivery methods in an urban environment in terms of safety, noise and privacy considerations as well as other challenges relating to flying drones in populated areas.
The route will run along the coastline of Tel-Aviv-Jaffa, creating a direct connection between the Reading area in the north and Jaffa Port in the south. The drones will fly over urban areas, popular beaches and a busy port.
Airwayz will manage multiple fleets of drones from different operators in the airspace simultaneously. Using artificial intelligence, Airwayz will be able to avoid collision and the process is optimized to allow drone operators to maximize capacity of airspace to make deliveries as efficient as possible.
“This pilot program is another crucial step forward in showing that drone delivery not only works, but has huge benefits in easing our overcrowded roads, contributing to sustainable last mile delivery and meeting the superfast demands of today’s consumer,” said Eyal Zor, CEO of Airwayz. “We will also show it to be cost-effective to prove the commercial benefit, but principally, it will be done safely.”
