Drone Express yesterday said that it has partnered with FarEye to provide autonomous drone deliveries for retailers in the U.S. East Hanover, N.J.-based Drone Express is a division of TELEGRID Technologies Inc. and provides commercial drone delivery services. Chicago-based FarEye said it offers “intelligent delivery orchestration solutions.”
“The time has come for drone deliveries to become the new reality,” stated Gaurav Srivastava, co-founder of FarEye. “Retailers are facing new pressures due to the delivery boom and consumer demand and are showing interest in innovative delivery solutions like autonomous drones.”
“Customers are used to Amazon Prime-like experiences, where they can schedule and track their deliveries in real time,” he added. “We are excited to take this market-first offering to retailers in partnership with Telegrid and transform modern-day retail deliveries.”
Drone Express offers retailers agility
As e-commerce demand rapidly increases, retailers are under pressure to apply last-mile innovations to meet the growing demand while providing a positive customer experience, said Drone Express. These expectations have led to driver shortages, complexities in carrier partnerships, and a focus on order fulfillment.
Autonomous drones are a viable, more sustainable, and cost-efficient logistics alternative to satisfy consumer expectations, according to the company. Drone Express said it works with companies to strategically introduce drone package delivery into their supply chains and service offerings.
Last month, Drone Express and Kroger announced a pilot as part of the grocery retailer's continuing efforts to transform e-commerce. The first stores in Ohio and California are expected to offer the drone delivery service in early summer.
FarEye offers route optimization
Last month, FarEye raised $100 million in Series E funding, which is said it plans to use to develop its platform, hire staffers, and expand in Europe and North America.
Drone Express claimed that its drone experience and FarEye's orchestration software will optimize routes and provide retailers with end-to-end visibility, enhancing customer experiences. They said that FarEye and TELEGRID's combined capabilities will offer the following to retailers:
- Contactless deliveries with the help of drones
- Delightful customer experience keeping customers informed at every step of the delivery journey
- More flexibility to the customer to pick date and time of deliveries
- Improved on-time delivery performance by avoiding traffic delays
- Faster ways to fulfill same-day and same-hour deliveries
- Improved sustainability utilizing an alternative delivery method reducing overall carbon emissions
- Reduced operating costs by savings in driver and fuel costs
“Our landmark drone technology means consumers can now order a Gatorade to the soccer field, sunscreen to the beach, aspirin to the office or chicken soup for a sick friend,” said Beth Flippo, chief technology officer, at TELEGRID Technologies. “We are excited to partner with FarEye. The company plays a critical role in shaping the delivery experience to customers with optimized routing and real-time tracking. Together, we are moving commercial drone delivery beyond hype and making it a reality.”
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