Continuing Fastway Couriers’ commitment to technology and innovation, the friendly courier experts have invested in Flirtey, the world’s first commercial aerial delivery service, marking the beginning of an exciting collaboration. Fastway and Flirtey recently successfully trialled their first drone parcel delivery in Auckland, transporting auto parts from the Fastway office in Penrose to the TR Group headquarters in Mount Wellington, a trip over factories and traffic clogged roads delivering car parts. To see the journey of the drone, visit https://youtu.be/TcygY-a23gI or https://youtu.be/nHX2qo0P7gY.
Scott Jenyns, Chief Executive Officer at Fastway Couriers, says, “We’re always exploring new and innovative ways to enhance the customer experience and the development of drone technology is an exciting prospect for the future of courier delivery. Although there’s no substitute for courier drivers, drone technology is rapidly progressing and it displays a way of increasing speed of delivery, particular in traffic congested areas, therefore it may be suitable in some delivery instances. This opens up a range of possibilities for courier companies, small businesses and online retailers.”
“At Fastway, our customers are at the centre of everything we do and, as the first courier company to get involved with this trial, we’re thrilled to be at the forefront of this concept,” says Scott.
By road, a delivery between the Fastway office and the TR Group office is approximately 1.9 kilometres and takes close to 20 minutes to complete, depending on congestion. During the trial, transporting by aerial drone, took less than a quarter of the time, as it was able to travel uninterrupted.
Matthew Sweeny, Chief Executive Officer at Flirtey, adds, “This is a significant moment because it is the first commercial drone delivery over a populated area in New Zealand. Together with companies like Fastway, we have an opportunity to offer safe and reliable technology to turn drone delivery into a reality. As the entire concept and its technology continues to evolve, the sky is the limit. We’re pioneering a future where anything a consumer orders is delivered directly via an unmanned aerial vehicle.”
The Flirtey delivery drone is constructed from carbon fibre, aluminium and 3D printed components. It is a lightweight, autonomous and electrically driven unmanned aerial vehicle. It has a range of over 15 km return and can deliver packages weighing over 2.5 kg. It has built-in safety features such as low battery return to safe location and auto-return home in case of low GPS signal or communication loss.
This marks the beginning of a collaboration, which will see Fastway and Flirtey expand their use of drone delivery technology with trials across New Zealand.
For more information about Fastway’s unique courier services, visit fastway.co.nz. To learn more about Flirtey’s drones, visit flirtey.com.