Will drones revolutionize air transport?

Three central building blocks are necessary in order for flying robots to get off the ground in the future

The idea of drones transporting medication to remote villages or supplying food to regions cut off by environmental catastrophes is quite impressive. Now US-based Matternet plans to make what seemed like pure science fiction just a few years ago into a reality. The Industry Journal reports on exactly how they will do this.

Online retailer Amazon recently made headlines with its plans to send packages by drones in the near future. And Deutsche Post DHL has also announced its intentions to send small packages by air using unmanned mini-aircraft.

Drones load themselves in transit

According to Matternet, three central building blocks are necessary in order for flying robots to get off the ground in the future. First is the aircraft itself, the drone. The equipment should be able to transport payloads of two kilograms and more. The second component of this futuristic vision is a network of loading stations at which the drones can automatically dock. And a GPS-based control system is needed to coordinate the transport robots.

According to statements from Matternet, drones should generally be able to pilot themselves and, above all, reload on their own. "The beauty of this technology is its independence,” says Andreas Raptopoulos, founder and CEO of Matternet.

It’s not all up and running yet

But there are still a few hurdles to overcome before drones can actually drop off packages and deliver food or medication in the future. Weight, range, battery power, safety, reliability and aviation regulations are just a few of the challenges the project faces. The first commercial applications are slated to take place in the U.S. in 2015.

Drones in industry

Drones have already been used in industry for several years, for example for checking wind and photovoltaic power stations at regular intervals. They can also be used to monitor the condition of roofs on industrial facilities.