Stockholm-based Aerit was founded in January 2021. In October that same year, the autonomous logistics network company completed Sweden’s first commercial drone delivery of food. Since then, the venture has also secured regulatory approval for operations under the EASA SORA (a methodology for the classification of the risk posed by a drone flight, Ed’s note) framework. This week, a new milestone is unveiled.
This May, residents at Värmdö outside of Stockholm will be able to request Aerit’s drone delivery services through their foodora accounts. A third player is telecom operator Tele2, securing the connectivity. The autonomous delivery drones, called Nimbi, are designed and built by Aerit. They’re battery-powered with a max payload capacity of 4kg (10lbs) and features a proprietary winching system that allows for both package pick-up and drop-off without the need for supporting infrastructure.
— We are thrilled to accelerate the adoption of drone delivery across Europe, providing emission slashing access to goods and services by leveraging our cutting-edge drone courier networks, says Alexander Perrien, CEO of Aerit.
Nimbi.
The delivery flights, conducted beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS), provide on-demand access to goods and services for approved households within a 100-square-kilometer coverage area.
According to Daniel Gustafsson Raba, Logistics Manager at foodora, fast home deliveries are a democratic issue.
— We are proud to be the first in Europe to launch drone deliveries for real. Wherever one is in the country, it should be possible to quickly get what one needs, such as medicines or groceries. It should not only be available to people who have chosen to settle in big cities.
— This marks a new era for how people can receive deliveries, and we believe that we may see more applications in other industries, says Stefan Trampus, Head of Business Affairs at Tele2. It’s a perfect example of how we can use 5G connectivity and expertise to drive future delivery services in a simple, sustainable, and smart way.
Related Stories
