Chinese authorities have had their way – the UAS transporting cakes for romantic couples has been grounded.The local cake company announced on Friday the suspension of the drone services after local police expressed fears that the remote-controlled aircraft posed a danger to the public.
Wang Pingshi, general manager of Incake, said the cake company is suspending the service until it gets all the clearance from the civil aviation authority as well as police.
“The company will contact local air traffic controllers as well as improve the safety factors of the drones before it resumes the service,” Wang told a press conference yesterday.
Incake carried out “drone flight tests” earlier this week. The drone, measuring 1.1 meters in diameter and fitted with five propellers, flew at a height of about 50 meters to deliver cakes across the Huangpu River to customers.
The factory used remote-controlled aircraft on five different occasions to “fly” cakes across the Huangpu River to customers in downtown, claimed Men Ruifeng, the marketing manager of the Incake company, which only accepts orders online.
The drone, measuring 1.1 meters in diameter and fitted with five propellers, flies at a height of about 100 meters and can be remotely controlled over several kilometers. It has two cameras and the controller can pilot it from a nearby vehicle, Men said.
The company has three such drones, all of them refitted from a Chinese-made aviation model.
During one of the “test” flights last week, the drone hovered around the International Financial Center, the Citigroup Tower, Shangri-La Hotel and Jin Mao Tower for 45 minutes before crossing the Huangpu River to reach a customer.
Men claims the air service is quick and more environmental friendly. The cakes too are intended for couples celebrating special moments and are willing to shell out about 2,000 yuan (US$325.8), Men said.
The drone flights along the river has caught the attention of the locals, many of whom praised the factory’s creativity, but others pointed out to the potential dangers from the sky.
“What if the cake or even the drone fell on a passer-by from the 100 meters,” a netizen asked.
Local police had asked the company to suspend the service before other companies caught up with the innovative way of delivering stuffs, Wang said.
Unmanned aircraft have to be approved by the civil aviation authorities before being used for business, officials said.
Photo: Ti Gong
Source: Shanghai Daily