In more lighthearted news, a drone operating in Virginia Hill made history this week. The drone successfully launched and delivered accurately a package to a nearby address. All of it done without requiring a manual controller on the other side.
While the package itself was not anything out of this world – a Popsicle for a kid – it still proves the drone’s capabilities. The package delivery was a test. A test to check the drone’s accuracy and autonomy in the field. It also compared time differences with normal deliveries. All categories passed with flying colors, according to the company behind the drone, Alphabet Inc.
Alphabet Inc. is the parent company of Google itself. That can tell you more about their resources and reach more than any other accolade listed. The order for the Popsicle came through an app. Once the person on the other end clicks “order” on their phone, the process for delivery starts.
Popsicle Test with the Wing Drone:
As for the drone, Alphabet Inc. chose the Wing Drone to do the bidding. A hybrid drone, it can reach 137 km per hour. With its speed, it is the perfect choice for deliveries. The look is a bit of an oddity compared to your common drones. It is a hybrid; looking like a combination of a plane and a helicopter. It has 12 rotors (6 each side, 3 front, 3 back per side) that acts as its propellers. The plane part is the wings, which drastically improves the distance the drone can reach.
The drone started off at a launch point over a mile from the recipient. This test was to see if the drone can handle flying at that distance. Of course, this is merely a test. Once this drone delivery system finalizes, you may see distances varied and targets from all directions. With drones’ limited range, the idea of them traveling from center to center while recharging, may be an option.
The Popsicle test proved to be quite the hit. It took merely six minutes from pressing “order” on the app for the package to arrive in the area. The drone did not land, however. It used a crane-like motion to drop down the package to the owner’s property. Of course, this means that the drone needed decision making skills decent enough to determine which property is which.
Massive drone deliveries are unquestionably still years away. But with these tests passing with flying colors, the future looks definitely great at the hands of drones.
