Yes, drone deliveries are real – and they bring many benefits, as you’ll hear in this captivating DLD24 panel discussion with Yariv Bash (Flytrex Aviation), Dirk Hoke (Volocopter), Svilen Rangelov (Dronamics) and moderator Christiaan Hetzner (Fortune).
In the U.S., Flytrex has already received an FAA certification and is operating in Texas and South Carolina. “We’re doing more than 4,000 deliveries a month”, Yariv Bash says. “We cruise all the way to your backyard. Then we hover above your backyard and slowly lower the package to your front or back lawn.”
Volocopter CEO Dirk Hoke describes how his company is developing different kinds of drones for both cargo and passenger transport. He also describes Volocopter’s plans to operate an air taxi service during the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“We have defined together with our partner, Paris Aéroport, five routes, and we are still in discussion with the authorities to get them fully approved”, Hoke says.
Dronamics focuses on cargo delivery with drones that can carry a maximum payload of 350kg up to 2,500 kilometers far. “Our drone is actually a small airplane [with] 16 meters wingspan”, Svilen Rangelov explains.
Dubbed “The Black Swan”, the drone can fly in autonomous or semi-autonomous modes and will first go into operation in the Mediterranean, Rangelov says.
Watch the video for more insights about the market development, commercialization, regulations and technological challenges, such as battery development and air traffic integration.
