Due to many factors such as technology and regulation, autonomous commercial drone delivery is still a long time before it can be commercially used. Last week, Italian company FlyingBasket made its first urban heavy transport flight in Torino with an impressive pair of large deliveries.
In partnership with space company Leonardo and Post Italia, FlyingBasket deployed two robust FB3 drones, each carrying about 26 kilograms (57 pounds) of cargo from a postal distribution center to a destination about 3.9 kilometers (2.4 miles) away, before returning with the drone.
While 26 kg is already very heavy, the FB3 drone is designed with a payload of 100 kg. To ensure the safety of everyone except local kayakers, drones fly mainly over the Stura di Lanzo River. One of them carries its load in an internal compartment and the other in a sling hanging from a hook, meaning it can lower the payload on the cable and drop it off without landing.
The Italian Aviation Authority (ENAC) authorized this task. This isn't the first commercial drone delivery service in Europe – Wing's helsinki business, for example, already allows you to airdrop lunches and coffee, and other businesses are slowly starting to open up. Still, the huge payload makes it clear how convenient these things can be in logistics operations beyond direct delivery to customers.