The service with the use of drones will still be tested by the delivery company, but it already says that it will not be the end of deliveries through motoboys
iFood released last Friday (21) that ANAC – National Civil Aviation Agency – gave permission for drones to be used to deliver throughout Brazil. However, even though ANAC has already approved it, iFood has not disclosed when this type of service will be implemented.
Read also
Delivery via drone is new in Latin American countries
According to the most famous Brazilian delivery company in Latin America, the permission granted by ANAC for daily commercial use of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), also known as drones, is unprecedented in Latin countries.
Each drone will be able to carry packages weighing up to 2,5 kg and circulate within a maximum radius of up to 3 km. However, according to iFood, this operation is still in the initial testing phase, but stated that, in the coming years, an analysis will be made of locations where the full and efficient operation of this new type of delivery is feasible, seeking not to harm the franchises associated with iFood or customers.
After this analysis, the delivery company will make the necessary investments to also serve in different regions of Brazil and, possibly, in other countries where iFood operates. iFood also pointed out that, in some regions of Brazil, such as São Paulo/SP, Aracaju/SE and Barra dos Coqueiros/SE, delivery tests have already been carried out using drones, but did not report whether the result was positive or not. Traditionally, the delivery system is carried out by motoboys, but in some locations cyclists have helped with this delivery system, be it food or medicine.
Drone Operation Responsibility
The company that will be responsible for the entire operation of flights performed by the drones will be Speedbird, which specializes in the development and manufacture of unmanned aircraft. Speedbird develops the entire navigation system, making the drone capable of efficiently transporting and delivering small parcels.
Among the small deliveries, in addition to food, Speedbird drones are also efficient in the delivery of medicines and other industrial products. In addition to the model that will possibly be used by iFood, the DLV-1, designed exclusively for urban areas and routes of 2 to 3 km, other important models are part of the Speedbird line of drones, such as the DLV-2, designed to transport heavier loads (up to 8 kg), and the DLV-4, designed to transport up to 5 kg, between one city and another, and can travel up to 100 km.
With drones in action, will motoboys be out of a job?
According to Fernando Martins, the current head of logistics and innovation at iFood, when the drone delivery system is implemented, a major change will be made that will speed up deliveries in different ways, but it will not replace the service provided by couriers and cyclists, only complement the delivery service, bringing more comfort and practicality to the franchises and also to the clientele. Deliveries made by drones and motoboys will possibly be a success in the country.
