UAVs Offer Solutions to Unconventional Delivery Scenarios

The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) seems to be everywhere now. Commonly known as a drone, UAVs include aircraft that are controlled remotely, partially autonomously, or fully autonomously. Thanks to a wide array of applicable benefits, the UAV has worked its way into the delivery industry. Some of the delivery scenarios are unconventional.

Drones Deliver Medical Supplies in Isolated Areas

In 2015, a small UAV traveled over the mountainous terrain of Wise County, Virginia and dropped a shipment of medications to a pop-up clinic. It was the first flight of its kind to be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration.

But it wasn’t the last. Various state and local governments have begun to use or test UAVs. In remote parts of the world, nationwide UAV systems have been implemented. Drones carry medications, blood supplies, and other items to clinics all across some countries. Other nations have begun delivering vaccines to their citizens.

An autonomous drone delivery service is planning to launch in harbors around the world. The service wants to deliver maritime essentials to vessels near port. Accepting delivery of spare parts, parcels from ship owners, and important documents could help vessel crew while at sea. Marine products like water and fuel test kits, cutting nozzles, coupling screws, and welding supplies would let ship engineers perform maintenance and make repairs with the items they need. Added costs, accidents, and other risks could soon be eliminated in and around busy harbors.

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Advantages of Using Drones for Delivery

In Rwanda, one woman began bleeding severely during childbirth. She needed a transfusion but the only blood that matched her type was too far away, by road, to save her life. By drone, the blood reached her within half an hour. The woman survived childbirth and left the hospital with her baby.

Drones have great cost advantages as well. A 25-pound drone can travel using far less energy than a 2-ton vehicle or a 3-ton helicopter. UAVs can scale. A remote pilot can manage occasional flights in multiple cities rather than needing conventional pilots waiting in each city.

Drones can also help combat the safety issues that sometimes come up with traditional transportation modes, such as traffic accidents or aircraft crashes. Drones help to eliminate these risks for human passengers and, financially speaking, a lost drone is far less expensive than a lost aircraft.