Drones are delivering packages in a Dublin suburb, a demonstration of autonomous home delivery. Several drones, each carrying a paper bag, ascend to 70 feet (21 meters) and fly in different directions. This occurs repeatedly throughout the morning with little public notice.
“No one’s looking up – no one ever looks up,” observes Bobby Healy, founder of Dublin-based startup Manna Aero. The drones are part of a broader effort by companies like Amazon, Wing (a Google subsidiary), and Zipline to implement instant, autonomous home delivery.
Drones have already impacted various sectors, from photography and light shows to humanitarian aid and military applications. The potential for drone delivery lies in its ability to bypass terrestrial traffic congestion. However, companies face the challenge of securing investor and public acceptance, as evidenced by past public opposition to similar trials.
Amazon operates drone delivery services in Texas, Arizona, and Italy, and is seeking permission to fly from warehouses in England. Wing already operates in several countries. Manna Aero has conducted over 200,000 delivery flights in the Dublin suburb of Blanchardstown and Helsinki, Finland. Partnerships with Just Eat and DoorDash could facilitate further expansion.
A demonstration shows a Manna drone delivering two coffees to a location within 16 minutes of the order being placed on the app. This compares to a minimum of 11 minutes for delivery via e-bike.
Drones, lacking the need for human couriers, use less energy. Each drone performs approximately 80 deliveries daily, significantly exceeding the capacity of a human delivery driver or rider. A single "pilot" can oversee up to 20 drones simultaneously.
Autonomous Drones
Drones operate autonomously from loading and takeoff to arrival and drop-off, requiring minimal pilot intervention. The only pilot intervention occurs when a video feed checks for obstructions (people or vehicles) on the ground.
"In suburbs, the traditional delivery model is broken," Healy states. "There's no way to make delivery driver operations profitable in this environment."
Healy, a Dublin native, describes himself as a technology entrepreneur. He left school at 17, developed video games, and founded and sold six businesses, including CarTrawler. He founded Manna Aero in 2018 with the goal of creating a global impact through autonomous drone technology.
Manna's drones, designed in Monmouth, Wales, and Dublin, utilize aerospace-grade components, mostly sourced from China. Each drone weighs 23 kg (51 lb), capable of carrying up to 4 kg of cargo, including items like pizzas or books. However, volume constraints sometimes necessitate adjusting order sizes.
The drones feature eight motors, though four are sufficient for operation. An integrated parachute system has been deployed only once in 4 years of operation. European aerospace regulators have audited the company's technology.
Operations are based in small areas, fitting a few shipping containers and several landing zones. Manna employees prepare orders, charge batteries (which are swapped after each flight), and monitor deliveries within a 2.1-mile (3.4km) radius.
Expansion Plans
Manna's current service area encompasses 150,000 people in Blanchardstown. The company aims to expand to approximately one million people in Dublin by the end of the year, focusing on suburban areas. City-center rooftop deliveries are also considered, although deliveries to high-rise apartments are less feasible.
The UK launch has been delayed by regulatory hurdles, but the adoption of EU drone standards on April 1st could expedite the process. Irish customers pay a €1.99 delivery fee, with free delivery planned for UK customers upon launch in unspecified cities. Businesses will pay a commission.
Manna faces challenges related to expansion costs despite profitability on individual flights. The company has secured €60 million in venture capital, with investors including Coca-Cola and Patrick Collison (Stripe). The company also anticipates addressing potential issues with other drone operators in the future.
Healy expresses optimism about the future of drone delivery, stating it will revolutionize commerce and empower smaller businesses.
