Wing is teaming with Serve Robotics to take autonomous deliveries to a new level in Texas.
The drone delivery provider, owned by Google parent Alphabet, and the sidewalk bot delivery specialist are partnering to offer a novel solution they claim could “redefine” the entire last-mile delivery sector.
Their new pilot in Dallas will see the launch of an innovative new robot-to-drone service, in which food ordered from participating restaurants will be picked up at the curbside by a Serve bot and then taken to a Wing drone AutoLoader a few blocks away, for aerial delivery to customers located anywhere within 6 miles.
While the pilot will provide an interesting and swift way for customers to access meals, arguably the greater benefit will be for vendors and restaurant owners, who will be able to take advantage of drone deliveries – and the extended areas they service – without having to alter their way of working, install new equipment or adapt their buildings.
Among the advantages of robot-to-drone delivery being highlighted by the two companies are its speed, due to the ability to avoid traffic gridlock; cost-efficiency, by saving on human delivery overheads; environmentally friendly nature, as both bot and drone are fully electric; and safety, by keeping vehicles off the road and reducing the likelihood of a crash.
From a consumer’s point of view, there is also the welcome bonus of not having to tip the drone for delivery.
“We’re excited to partner with Wing to offer a multi-modal delivery experience that expands our market from roughly half of all food deliveries that are within two miles of a restaurant to offering 30-minute autonomous delivery across an entire city,” said Dr. Ali Kashani, Serve Robotics CEO and co-founder.
“Together, Serve and Wing share an ambitious vision for reliable and affordable robotic delivery at scale. Our end-to-end robotic delivery solution will be the most efficient mode for the significant majority of deliveries.”
Credit: Wing
Adam Woodworth, CEO at Wing, added: “We have been delivering food and other goods directly to consumers for over five years, completing more than 400,000 commercial deliveries across three continents. Through this pilot partnership, Wing hopes to reach more merchants in highly-congested areas while supporting Serve as it works to expand its delivery radius.”
In addition, the partnership marks San Francisco-based Serve’s entry into the Texas market. The Nvidia-backed start-up previously focused on California, teaming up with Uber Eats in Los Angeles.
Wing has already established a presence in Texas, carrying out drone deliveries for a growing number of Walmart stores.
