Airbus Helicopters has flown its commercial parcel delivery prototype and expects it to be picking up and dropping off small parcels for students and staff at the National University of Singapore later this year. The octocopter took off from its maintenance center, landed on the roof of a purpose-built parcel station and a robotic arm loaded a parcel on the drone. It then took off and returned to the station and dropped off the parcel. “Safe and reliable urban air delivery is a reality not too distant into the future and Airbus is certainly excited to be a forerunner in this endeavor,” said Airbus Helicopters project leader Alain Flourens.
Airbus is working with Singapore Post and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore in the development of the service and is aimed at addressing the complexities of operating in an urban environment while delivering efficient and cost-effective service. At the university, anyone will be able to use the service to pick up or deliver up to nine pounds to the designated parcel stations distributed around the sprawling campus, which covers about 150 football fields. Assuming it works, Singapore Post will offer it to its customers with an eye to selling turnkey systems to other cities.
