The food delivery business is about to get a total makeover. Soon, pizza drones will be flying across the sky with endless amounts of food. At least, that’s Domino’s goal for the upcoming months.
For the past year, Domino’s has been working on perfecting the delivery drone for everyday commercial uses. Along with their partner company Flirtey, Domino’s has been running a series of experiments to ensure their fleet is ready for deployment. From regulating food temperature to everyday test flights, Domino’s is taking everything into consideration.
In mid November, they were finally able to take their creation public. Emma and Johnny Newman, a couple from New Zealand, became the first people to have a drone deliver their pizza. Domino’s futuristic delivery system came in under five minutes without any complication
So, how does it work? When a customer orders a pizza, they will receive a notification altering them that the drone is approaching. When their order arrives, the customer will go outside, press a button on their smartphone, and watch as the drone lowers the pizza. Then, the drone will fly back to the Domino’s store for another delivery run.
Domino’s Group CEO and Managing Director, Don Mejj, praised this delivery technology, saying, in part, “[drones] can avoid traffic congestion and traffic lights, and safely reduce the delivery time and distance by traveling directly to customers’ homes. This is the future.
Pizza drones are expected in Australia, Belgium, France, The Netherlands, Japan, and Germany by the end of 2017. However, Domino’s has not released any details about their project’s future in the United States. That being said, the Federal Aviation Authority recently announced new regulations on drone services, which suggests that they are coming sometime next year.
For Domino’s, one of the major roadblocks for entering the U.S. market is order variety. In New Zealand, Domino’s only sells pizzas in one size, which makes figuring out drone traveling conditions easier. The wide range of products offered in the U.S. possess a challenge for Domino’s as the drone’s can only carry around 5.5 pounds.