Mercedes-Benz Vans, US drone systems developer Matternet and Swiss online marketplace Siroop have started a pilot project in Zurich to test an efficient van and drone-based system for on-demand delivery of e-commerce goods.
The pilot project, which started on September 25, aims to showcase the logistics companies the ability to provide customers a true on-demand delivery solution with significantly reduced time.
During the course of the 3 week pilot project, customers will be able to order selected products from Siroop that are suitable for transport by a Matternet drone, such as consumer electronics and other items weighing up to 2 kilograms. Delivery will be made on the same day. The drones are loaded directly at the merchant and fly to one of two Mercedes-Benz Vito vans equipped with a precision landing technology. The van stops at one of four pre-defined points, called “rendezvous points”, within the city of Zurich, where the van driver takes possession of the product and delivers it to the customer, while the drone returns to the retailer. The entire logistics chain from order receipt to delivery to the customer will be timed and compared against conventional delivery methods to gain insights into the efficiency of the solution.
The Matternet M2 drones can carry packages of up to 2 kg over distances of up to 20 km. Mercedes said that the operation has been authorized by the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) following the Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) methodology developed by JARUS (Joint Authorities for Rulemaking on Unmanned Systems) and was approved by all relevant Swiss air and ground authorities.
Matternet drones are integrated in the Swiss airspace system using the same sense and avoid system used by helicopter operators and other users of the lower part of the airspace, and are equipped with a parachute system that is automatically deployed in case of a malfunction.
Looks like we can now convince Eric Cartman that drones are not just for spying after all.
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