Singapore takes a step forward after launching delivery service with drones, the first delivery was made to a ship; this initiative is part of the technological innovation policy that is promoted in the Asian country to supply the shortage of labor in one country of 5.7 million inhabitants.
The start of the delivery service with drones arises at a time when human contact is limited due to the spread of Covid-19, which up to this day it amounts over 15 thousand cases and a total of 14 deaths in the country.
“Aside from being efficient, drone deliveries can also reduce unnecessary human contact amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” said F-drone CEO Nicolas Ang.
The drone company plans to continue expanding its capacity and plans to develop equipment that can deliver up to 100 kilos and with a rout close to 100 kilometers to ships and platforms on the high seas; this new stage of the project is expected to be in progress within the second semester of 2021.
On its first mission, the drone carried two kilos of vitamins to a ship owned by the Eastern Pacific Shipping, the flight lasted seven minutes and traveled a distance of 2.7 kilometers.
The use of unmanned vehicles for delivery services will save up to 80 percent of the costs of home deliveries and also has a lesser impact on the environment said Nicolas Ang.
Meanwhile, Singapore’s civil aviation authorities supported the use of drones and are working hand in hand with industry stakeholders to expand the project while trying to shape a regulatory framework for the sector.