Commercial businesses have been using drones for different purposes in the last years. Many companies such as Amazon, Airbus and many more have been planning drones deliveries for sometime now, while a small group are actually doing it. A company called Workhorse Group is currently carrying out drone deliveries in Loveland, Ohio.  They are delivering package on a small scale and have partnered up with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as well as the city of Loveland to start a drone delivery pilot program.

Residents of Loveland can choose to have their packages delivered by a drone or regular mail. Workhorse delivery drones can be requested by an app which is connected to an online website.  Once an order is placed, customers can use the app to set a drone delivery location. They can monitor their packages and the drone will even send them an image once the package is dropped off.

The drones used for this pilot program are called Octocopters. They are made of carbon fiber and are fitted with GPS and infrared cameras. The drone is called the Workhorse HorseFly and can carry a 10-pound package while flying at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour for up to 30 minutes.

Workhorse delivery system includes the use of vans and drones working together. They send out delivery vans to certain locations and the drones are launched from the backs of the vans in a system called the “last mile.”  Launching off the back of a van from different locations allow for less flight time requiring less battery power.

The company has some remote observers who monitor the drones via live video feed.  The FAA’s law about flying drones is that they must remain in line of sight by a pilot and this program isn’t exempt. Instead, the pilot program uses remote observers to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the drones. Workhorse is not new in the drone delivery testing market. Last year, they partnered with the UPS to carry out small-scale drone tests. One of the drones successfully delivered a package from the top of a UPS delivery van in Florida.  Although this is still in beginning stages, the company is hoping to gather more data from its Ohio project. The data will be used to help improve drone delivery regulations as well as provide insights into consumer preferences.