Drone drop-offs are one of the fastest-growing last-mile delivery options in the hospitality industry, and it becomes even more efficient. Wing has partnered with DoorDash in the US to bring “speedy drone delivery” to homes.
While DoorDash will deliver Wendy’s to homes in Christiansburg, Virginia, in less than 30 minutes, thanks to Wing’s drones, there is a bigger question.
What will this mean for speedy last-mile delivery in general? Wing believes there is a bigger business opportunity at play. While Wing aims to be “fast and effective” in getting smaller items to customers in a record time, the partnership with DoorDash can initiate something else.
“We believe we can become the preferred mode of delivery for millions of small packages that are delivered every day around the world,” says Wing in a statement.
Industry shift with Wing and DoorDash
Last month, in an exclusive interview with Locate2u, Wing CFO Shannon Nash said customers’ delivery needs are changing. How they spend their money online has changed, yet the delivery methods are not changing as fast as they should.
Nash vowed that this year, Wing and other drone companies would “likely see an uptake in restaurants using drone delivery to feed their customer demand.”
With DoorDash partnering with Wing, could this be a single that more restaurants would be exploring and testing the idea of trying drone delivery?
ALSO READ: Sweden ‘milks’ drone deliveries for a sustainable last-mile future
A recent survey Wing conducted with over a thousand customers found a rising sentiment for sustainable delivery. “46% want a more environmentally friendly option for single-item delivery. Expanding our partnership with DoorDash is exactly the kind of sustainable option that people want for small orders to complement larger orders traditionally fulfilled by Dashers (DoorDash delivery drivers).”
Customers will be using the DoorDash app to place their Wendy’s orders, but instead of having a delivery driver hitting peak traffic, a drone will take the order to the customer.
Here’s how it will work:
Need for speed
Wing is surely one of the world’s drone companies that has delivered commercially to customers in under three minutes.
How does it work? The drones travel at around 65 mph, hover around the drop-off location, and gently lower the order right outside the doorstep. Wing uses a retractable tether and hook mechanism that prevents the drone from having to land.
But what about spilling? At such a high speed, whether the items are arriving at their destination appealingly is questionable. But Wing believes they can guarantee quality and speed. “With such speedy delivery, we can keep your food warm, your treats frozen, and everything delicious upon arrival.”
Drone deliveries are not limited to restaurant orders only. Wing CFO says there is also a growing demand for small retail deliveries. “This ever-growing demand also applies to retailers and restaurants as they increasingly recognize the benefits of fast and sustainable delivery options.”
NOW READ: UK government releases policy paper that paves the way for a drone future
Photo credit: Screenshots from YouTube video
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Mia is a multi-award-winning journalist. She has more than 14 years of experience in mainstream media. She's covered many historic moments that happened in Africa and internationally. She has a strong focus on human interest stories, to bring her readers and viewers closer to the topics at hand.
