UkrPoshta, the Ukrainian postal service, has teamed up with Flytrex Aviation to begin testing delivery drones in Ukrainian cities for the first time.
Each delivery will be made by Flytrex's drone, Mule - a carbon-fibre-bodied octocopter capable of carrying 3kg (6.6lb) packages a distance of 23km (14.3 miles).
The drone can travel at speeds of up to 70km/h (43.5mph) to a destination before releasing the parcel to its recipient. The companies estimate delivery will take less than half an hour from approval to the package being delivered.
Flytrex said the Mule has a unique release mechanism with anti-tampering capabilities, to avoid parcels being stolen, and the octopcopter is operated through the cloud.
It is expected users will be able to schedule deliveries to designated drop off areas within their city from their smartphoness, and Flytrex is working with the postal agency on a pilot project that could take place before the end of this year.
The project has not announced which city this pilot will take place in, but added it would be in an 'urban environment.'
"It was only a matter of time before drone delivery became a reality," said Ihor Tkachuk, acting director general of UkrPoshta.
"We are thrilled to be at the forefront of this postal revolution and the start of testing drone deliveries. We believe drones will not only bring our customers the satisfaction of easy deliveries, but also the chance to fly into the future of postal services."
When asked about price, Flytrex's CEO Yariv Bash told WIRED: "The idea is to offer better services for a same or a lower rate. A drone costs a lot less than a delivery truck and operates with batteries instead of costly fuel. Maintenance is also much cheaper."
Ukrposhta has more than 12,000 post offices throughout Ukraine and is governed by the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine.
Flytrex manufactures drones and drone services for businesses, hobbyists and RC enthusiasts and has more than 15,000 devices in over 70 countries.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
