The global parcel-delivery company DHL has received authorization to start regular drone delivery flights to an island in the North Sea about 7.5 miles off the coast of Germany. “This research project represents the first and only time in Europe that a flight by an unmanned aircraft will be operated outside of the pilot’s field of vision in a real-life mission,” said DHL in a news release. The DHL “parcelcopter” will primarily be used to transport medications at times when ferries and flights are not available. The UAS will take off from the harbor in Norddeich and land at a field reserved specifically for its operations. From there, a DHL courier will then deliver the parcel to the recipient.
“Our DHL parcelcopter 2.0 is already one of the safest and most reliable flight systems in its class that meets the requirements needed to fulfill such a mission,” said Jurgen Gerdes, CEO of DHL’s parcel division. “We are proud that this additional service can create added value for the residents of and visitors to the island of Juist and are pleased with the support we have received from the involved communities and agencies.” To ensure that the DHL parcelcopter operates reliably, flies safely and always lands at the right location, an autopilot with automated takeoff and landing functions was developed. This system is robust and reliable, the company says, and has been extensively tested. At an altitude of 165 feet, the parcelcopter can travel at speeds up to about 40 knots.
