Do City Delivery Drones Make Sense? No One Knows, but They're Flying Over NYC

"For the next year, delivery drones operated by the British company Skyports are taking daily weekday trips across New York City's East River, between the tip of Manhattan and a pier in Brooklyn. Since early May-a bit behind schedule-the drones have carried light cargo for a New York City health care system. Right now, those loads are basically a few pounds of paper; once the healthcare system is confident the setup works, it should include nonhazardous, non-biological packages, such as light pharmaceuticals."

"The drones are part of an experiment run by two New York-New Jersey agencies to discover how a relatively new and sometimes controversial sky-bound delivery tech might fit into a hectic urban environment-and the airspace above it. The pilot program will also try to answer a question that hangs over the entire drone delivery industry: Where does it make sense?"

"The Port Authority, which is also working with the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCDEC) on this drone project, will also measure how the deliveries affect patient care, Pezdek says. Globally, drone delivery is still in an experimental phase. What projects do exist mostly focus on carrying cargo to rural or suburban areas, where gaps in road"

Six-propeller delivery drones with nearly eight-foot wingspans operate daily weekday flights across New York City’s East River between Manhattan and a Brooklyn pier. The pilot, run by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey with the New York City Economic Development Corporation, began in early May and carries light paper loads for a New York City health care system. After confidence in the setup grows, nonhazardous, non-biological packages such as light pharmaceuticals are planned. The program measures whether regular flights provide value, whether deliveries are faster and within current carrier financial constraints, and whether the community views the activity as acceptable. Delivery effects on patient care are also tracked to inform future corridor planning.

Read at WIRED