Flytrex Company is out to test that drones are a feasible alternative for deliveries via a brand new drone distribution program. The drones took their maiden flight in Iceland’s capital recently.  Several other companies, for example, Amazon, have already tested drone deliveries. But Flytrex Company says that no fully working on-demand drone supply service has ever been launched in a city setting until today.

In the project’s first phase, drones will be taking orders from AHA’s headquarters situated in Reykjavik to a drop two miles away.  The company, which is headquartered in Tel Aviv, raised $3 million at the beginning of the year for its elaborate drone technology.

Icelandic Transport Authority approved the drones to start picking up orders from stores and restaurants on one side of town, Reykjavik, and then fly them to a specific drop-off area on the outskirts of Grafarvogur. Yariv Bash, who is the co-founder and CEO of Flytrex, said that Reykjavik is a great place to begin testing the effectiveness of the drone deliveries. Why? Because some parts of the town are disconnected by a bay.

Unlike other modes of transportation, where the drivers are required to find their way around the shoreline, drones can fly over obstacles and water to reach their destination much faster.  According to the statements released by the company, Flytrex drones only takes about 4 minutes to deliver goods which could otherwise have taken 25 minutes to be delivered by a vehicle in Reykjavik.

So, apart from goods being delivered faster, they are more cost-efficient. The CEO affirms that AHA has by now seen a 60% cost reduction for each delivery made by drones.  Most drones can easily handle packages weighing up to 3kg and those that are a bit bigger than a shoe box. Only restaurant food or small orders are ideal to be delivered by drones.

In the first section of the Reykjavik strategy, Flytrex will be working with one drone that will be assigned 20 deliveries each day from AHA. But more drones will be added in the next couple of weeks.  Within a few months, they are aiming at fulfilling their goal of making hundreds of distribution sub-tasks each day to customers.

Reykjavik is a great city where backyard deliveries are possible because of the land between homes. Everything is spread out allowing drones to deliver their packages with less hassle.  The Flytrex’s drones utilize the smart mapping technology to adapt to new environments. They operate in the air about 50 meters above ground allowing them to fly over most obstacles in the city.

Yariv also said that Flytrex is working tirelessly on a drone project that could make some drones clear almost all high-rise buildings. But it is now seeking the approval from regulators in Central American, South American and European countries.  According to the CEO, their technology is capable of working in high-raised environments such as Manhattan. Thus, their drones can deliver packages on rooftops or at the entrance of the buildings.  The co-founder further added that the approval from regulators for drone delivery operating in high-rise city environments is going to happen soon.

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