Regular readers of Springwise may remember our recent article on the ambulance drone, designed to offer faster response times and hopefully save more lives as a result. Now looking to target less life threatening situations, our most recent spotting is the creation of London-based Bizzby, which is looking to create the first fleet of courier drones for private individuals.
While there has been much talk of major logistics and delivery companies taking advantage of drones to offer faster delivery times, there has been little activity surrounding the possibility of a similar service for individuals. The Bizzby Sky, however, is just that. Equipped with a small on-board compartment measuring 25 cm (H) x 40 cm (W) x 120 in (L) that can carry up to 500g, the drones enable individuals to send and receive small items across crowded cityscapes.
To order a drone, users fire up the Bizzby app on their phone and enter details of the item they are looking to deliver, the location they wish to deliver to, and the time they would like the collection to take place. They can enter a pick up location, or let the drone pick up from their current location. Once the drone has arrived and the item has been placed on board, the vehicle will set off for its destination, flying up to 400 feet. On-board sensors are designed to prevent collisions in the air, while cameras give both the sender and receiver real-time tracking capabilities — pixelating any sensitive material for privacy reasons. In the event that the drone begins to run low on batteries, it will automatically return to its home GPS coordinates.
However, low batteries may actually be the least of Bizzby’s worries, as the Civil Aviation Authority does not currently authorise the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles over populated areas. Undeterred, Bizzby has created a petition urging the UK government to allow the use of these drones, calling for regulations and controls similar to those already used by air traffic control. Should they be successful, what other opportunities would that new legislation open up?
Website: www.sky.bizzby.com
Contact: ask@bizzby.com
