Amazon is not the only one looking to offer on-the-go delivery services by deploying a drone. It has company in Workhorse Group Inc, a trucking group that intends to deliver packages using a drone.
Meet HorseFly, a wireless recharging unmanned octocopter that can fly back and forth from a regular vehicle.
Workhorse has already applied for permission from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to start testing the deliveries made through its roof-mounted drone that will fly from the rear of one of its cargo vehicles.
The company has been working in tandem with researchers at the University of Cincinnati to create the necessary systems that the UAV will require for precise movement in a gamut of weather scenarios.
Workhorse's CEO Steve Burns is optimistic that HorseFly will make deliveries more streamlined.
"Since our inception, we have focused on providing more energy-efficient transportation systems," noted Burns. "The combination of the Horsefly and the Workhorse EV represents a significant improvement in reducing emissions and improving the efficiency of the delivery process."
The drone will be sent to handle locations that are not convenient to access, said company president Martin Rucidlo.
The UAV's operational mechanics are simple. The electric delivery van will make its rounds as usual with the HorseFly mounted on the roof. The drone will select the parcel, pick it up and drop it off at the recipient's door. The entire system will be autonomous, and even though a human operator will be at hand, their job will be to ensure the landing is smooth and no accidents occur.
HorseFly is able to navigate on its own since it will scan a barcode that is GPS-coordinated. At the time of descent, the UAV's cameras switch on and the human operator gets alerted and monitors the landing so that potential hazards are averted. Once the delivery is made, the drone flies back to the cargo vehicle and lands itself on the charging pad.
We wonder how smooth this process will be when it is windy, but Workhorse is working on a solution to that.
HorseFly, however, will only be able to do short journeys for a maximum of 30 minutes and carry load no heavier than 10 pounds. The drone will also boast wireless charging capabilities so that its batteries get revved up before a delivery.
It is not known when the drone delivery service from Workhorse will take off formally.
