China’s largest mail company is set to deliver more than 1,000 packages a day by drone. S.F. Express has revealed it already has a fleet of aircraft flying 500 parcels a day to remote areas, and it is now looking to double the capacity. The all-weather drones deliver parcels between couriers before automatically return to base, according to People’s Daily Online.
Category Archives: Transport
Japan Tests Drone Delivery to Islands
A quadcopter built by a Nagoya-based company has completed a trial run to see if unmanned aircraft can be used to transport goods from Kagawa Prefecture to an island in the Seto Inland Sea.
Alibaba Starts UAS Delivery in Three-Day Test Programme
Alibaba, the Chinese online marketplace, is conducting a three-day test to deliver packages using quadcopters within an hour.
French Drone Delivery Tests – Video
GeoPost, the express delivery arm of French mail service La Poste, has now released a video of drone delivery testing at the Centre d’Etudes et d’Essais pour Modèles Autonomes (CEEMA) in September. Continue reading
A Million Commercial Drones to Fly in 2015
Big Four firm Deloitte has predicted that more than a million commercial drones will take to the skies in 2015 as technological advances allow for further developments. Deloitte explained that with 700,000 commercial drones currently in use and more than 300,000 ordered globally for 2015, this year will see more than a million commercial drones.
Worldwide, total industry revenues are expected to reach between £125m and £250m, based on predictions of drones costing £125 or more.
Paul Lee, Deloitte’s head of technology, media, and telecommunications research, said that with average flight costs totalling £6 a trip, it was unlikely that the devices – also known as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) – would be used for home deliveries. Continue reading
Qualcomm Demonstrates Flying/Rolling UAS at CES
At CES 2015, Qualcomm Research is introducing its latest innovation in robotics through the Snapdragon Cargo—a flying and rolling robot with an integrated flight controller—powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. Continue reading
Resource Group Gets 3 Year Unmanned Aerial Survey Contract from Network Rail
Resource Group’s Unmanned Aviation Flying Services team has been awarded a place on the national framework agreement by Network Rail for a three year contract to provide aerial infrastructure inspections and surveys. The use of remotely piloted unmanned aviation systems should help to increase inspection efficiencies and reduce the risks associated with rail engineers working at height and in busy rail environments. Continue reading
HorseFly Delivery Demonstration
AMP Electric Vehicles is working with students in the University of Cincinnati Department of Aerospace Engineering on a drone that would be mounted on the top of its electric-powered trucks to finish the last leg of many deliveries. Continue reading