Why do we need delivery drones?

When the pandemic struck in 2020, global and domestic supply lines were the first to be disrupted by the government-sanctioned lockdowns. As a result, businesses were forced to adopt e-commerce in order to continue making sales, which unintentionally increased online buying.

Manpower shortages to handle last-mile deliveries, however, meant that logistics issues persisted. As businesses saw a rapid surge in online sales, the demand for delivery services rose dramatically overnight. Retailers experienced a sharp increase in online sales. The rise in delivery volume had a cascading effect throughout the supply chain since logistics providers didn't have enough warehouse space to keep the overflowing goods, which was followed by a dearth of delivery personnel.

Grocery items such as meat, seafood and vegetables from grocery stores depend heavily on this service. There was also a need in the healthcare space to deliver vaccines to clinics and vaccine administration centers. These items need to be kept constantly cold and cannot be allowed to thaw out.

Urban drone delivery service will be able to deliver food, essential items, groceries, medicine and more. It is also more reliable than traditional modes of delivery for the following reasons;

Shorter delivery times

Air freight is almost always faster than deliveries made by land. UAVs save time by taking shorter, direct paths. In the air, drones travel less distance since they go almost directly in a straight line. Since there are no constraints on standard rapid logistics shipping routes, the flying speed is subsequently always quicker.

Lower Costs

Unmanned transport technology has a high upfront cost. However, over time, maintenance will be much cheaper than with manual delivery. While labor costs may continue to compound over time, unmanned distribution equipment has almost no costs other than charging and maintenance.

The final mile of package delivery accounts for about 40% of the total cost. Utilizing drones to transport goods in cities will soon be less expensive than using people.

Ease of Access to Remote Areas

Drone delivery has considerably benefited remote and hard-to-reach areas around the world. It has been used for urgently needed items like life-saving equipment and crucial supplies like medicine.

Safer Environmental Impact

Logistics companies ought to look for ways to reduce their carbon footprint, save money on fuel, and fight climate change. Drone use may be more cost-effective at the final phase of the supply chain. They can save more money due to its reduced cost per kg per mile, substantially reduce their reliance on fossil fuels, and help protect the environment. When compared to ground-based delivery alternatives, all-electric drones are quite the eco-friendly alternative.

The increased use of drones will have ample benefits to us all. In the short term, we anticipate the use of drones in the shipment of emergency and medical goods will increase, along with wider delivery services to remote areas. Crop-spraying drones for use in agriculture will also proliferate.

And in the longer term, over a million drones could provide essential services to power the economy, improve supply chains and logistics.

Before you know it, we'll all be cruising through the sky in our own passenger air taxis!