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Drones promise to change the world of logistics for good. The advantages of unmanned aerial vehicles are obvious. But what potential does the technology really have?
Pilot projects have shown that the use of transport drones is no longer a distant prospect. Their potential uses seem almost unlimited: transporting individual freight from A to B, express deliveries to remote rural regions or even fully automated delivery to end customers. Will these dreams soon become reality?
For some time now, there have been numerous concepts in the industry that test the use of drones in various ways. Blood samples are already being sent in the healthcare sector, for example, and the results are often expected under time pressure. Delays caused by couriers stuck in traffic jams have been common until now. Thanks to drone technology, samples can now be sent to the laboratory in a matter of minutes. As part of the Zipline project, medical supplies are transported to remote villages in Rwanda. Logistics heavyweights have also recognized the signs of the times. Industry giant Hellmann Logistics, for example, is working on cross-border, Europe-wide systems. The project could become a signpost for a completely new understanding of transport routes in the European domestic economy with even shorter supply chains.
The results are firing the imagination of tech-savvy entrepreneurs in many places. But what are the general conditions like? So far, drones have mainly been used for small deliveries over short distances. In many places, the necessary infrastructure is still at the planning stage and important questions have not yet been conclusively clarified. Nevertheless, an initial legal framework was established in 2020 by an EU law that was also adopted by Switzerland. Among other things, it lays down conditions for weight, maximum flight altitude and registration requirements, thus offering companies basic legal certainty.
And how much load can modern drones carry? Concepts currently being tested mainly use lighter models for internal logistics or small deliveries in the B2B sector. However, there are now also products developed for transporting larger volumes of freight: The Oktakoper Griff 800 from the Norwegian company Aviation is said to be able to transport loads of up to 800 kg. In addition, artificial intelligence and network technology will enable fully autonomous operation in the future.
In the future, small drones will be used to make individual deliveries to end customers, for example. In the case of larger transport drones, on the other hand, it is conceivable that the technology could be integrated into existing structures. For example, container freight could be loaded directly from ships onto nearby trains by drone. Neuralgic points such as ports or freight stations that are relieved in this way could be used much more efficiently. Transport by direct air is also more environmentally friendly than covering short distances by truck.
Technology is constantly evolving. Manufacturers are working flat out on new models with more carrying capacity, greater ranges and autonomous transport networks. Experts predict that drones will be in commercial use as early as 2022. In Switzerland, leading companies, researchers and start-ups want to become world leaders in this field through close networking and the exchange of know-how.
Due to the challenges and progress made to date, it is not yet possible to foresee comprehensive and autonomous drone networks replacing conventional road and rail transportation. Nevertheless, the technology already offers many opportunities and innovations. One realistic and economical possibility for the use of drones in the logistics sector is transport over the last few meters. This is where the versatility of the aircraft is particularly evident thanks to the time-saving and customized transport of individual freight items. Logistics drones are also a cost-effective and fast alternative to courier services for same-day and express deliveries, such as spare parts.
Drones have great potential to revolutionize the industry. However, a recently discontinued Deutsche Post pilot project also proves that they are not the optimal solution for all problems. However, rapid progress may require rapid adaptation at any time. Highly interesting developments are also emerging in Asia. Research and industry there are focusing heavily on innovative AI-supported and autonomous systems that could open up as yet untapped potential applications
One thing is certain: logistics will not be redefined overnight. Despite all the promising possibilities, every innovation always requires time and careful planning before it can develop its full potential in a profitable way. Nevertheless, there are already many opportunities today to solve transportation problems cleverly and easily with the help of drones. The future will show whether these clever flying machines can conquer the skies.
SpediFux is the smart digital transport company for Switzerland & Liechtenstein. Freight forwarding, whether it's boxes, general cargo, or pallets. Easy to use, reliable processing, guaranteed price.
