In a move set to change the face of food delivery, residents of Värmdö, Sweden, will soon experience the future of convenience as Foodora Air takes flight. This innovative service, a collaboration between Swedish companies Tele2, Foodora, and Aerit, will use state-of-the-art multicopters to deliver food orders directly to customers’ doorsteps.
Scheduled to launch in May, Foodora Air marks the first step towards a potential nationwide and international expansion. The service will begin in Värmdö, located near Stockholm, where customers can use the Foodora app to order from participating businesses. Orders will be loaded into Aerit’s Nimbi drones at the business, which will then take off and fly to the customer’s address using Tele2’s 5G and internet-of-things technologies to ensure seamless communication with a human supervisor.
One of the key advantages of this delivery method is the drone’s ability to hover at altitude while lowering the order down on a cable, eliminating the need for the drone to land on the ground. This reduces noise and safety concerns, as well as allowing for quicker deliveries and longer flight distances per battery charge.
The Nimbi drone is equipped with six weatherproof motor/propeller units, arranged in three sets of two at the ends of its arms. It can carry up to 4 kg (8.8 lb) in a 10-liter (2.6-gal) cargo compartment and has an operational range of 12 km (7.5 miles) when fully loaded, extending to 21 km (13 miles) when empty. The drone produces 65 decibels of motor noise while hovering, comparable to a busy office environment.
“We are proud to be the first in Europe to launch real drone deliveries, and we are excited to have Tele2 and Aerit as partners on this exciting journey,” said Daniel Gustafsson Raba, Foodora’s director of operations. “Fast home deliveries are a democratic issue, in my opinion. Regardless of where you are in the country, it should be possible to quickly get what you need, such as medicines or groceries.”
With its innovative approach and cutting-edge technology, Foodora Air is set to revolutionize the way we think about food delivery, offering a faster, more efficient, and more convenient service to customers across Sweden and beyond.
(Source: Interesting Engineering | New Atlas | Tech Times)
