in the groove AEROSPACE Se t n h d e i D n rones Drones delivering fast food, pharmaceuticals and supermarket items have become a regular part of life in the Australian city of Logan. Now, after a shaky start globally, drone technology could be on the verge of widespread acceptance and commercial success. By Daniel Dasey Photos: Wing IN HIS GROCERY STORE IN THE EASTERN AUSTRALIAN CITY OF LOGAN , Maz Rizk has just received a home-delivery order for one of his tasty roast chickens. In other parts of the world, Maz might hand the requested dish over to an Uber Eats, DoorDash or Just Eat courier so they could take it by car or motorcycle to the customer. But things in Logan operate a little differently. “Customers love the drone delivery service,” says Maz, whose business, Friendly Grocer Crestmead, also frequently sends milk, eggs, bread and confectionary via Wing. “The drone can carry a load of up to 1.5 kilograms. It doesn’t replace a full grocery shop, but it means our customers can save a trip to the store when they’re short on time or if they’ve forgotten a few items.” Maz’s grocery store has partnered with drone delivery company Wing and fulfils multiple hot chicken orders from their site every day. The chicken, packaged in a customized cardboard box, is picked- up by a drone hovering overhead from a launch zone. A staff member secures the box to a clasp at the end of a line dropped by the drone and watches as it rises up and becomes secured against the underside of the drone. The unmanned aircraft then efficiently buzzes up and away. Consumers anticipating the widespread roll-out of delivery drones have been on a rollercoaster ride since the concept first came to mainstream attention in 2013. It was then that digital retailer Amazon floated plans for the use of delivery drones to fulfil customer orders, via a service ultimately known as Prime Air. With such a large company advocating the idea, many imagined we were on the immediate cusp of an era when drones would become commonplace in our cities, carrying every type of consumer item. in the groove EDITION 44 35
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