Waiting for your online order any sort of package in the mail, for that matter, can feel like an eternity at times when it’s something that you’re really excited for.
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And though most carriers and delivery service will give you estimated delivery times, they’re not always accurate due to unforeseen delays and bumps in the road (both metaphorically and literally), especially when packages are moving between several different shipping and warehouse locations.
FedEx’s latest deal aims to change just that.
The company announced that FedEx Express would be teaming up with Elroy Air to work on having packages delivered between warehouses via autonomous drones that lift off and land vertically.
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“FedEx was built on innovation and we are always looking toward new technologies to help enhance the logistics industry through improved safety, efficiency and customer service,” Joe Stephens, senior vice president, global planning, engineering and technology, FedEx Express said in a company statement. “We look forward to continued testing and learning throughout our collaboration with Elroy Air.”
The first-ever of its collaboration in the U.S., FedEx Express plans to use Elroy’s Chaparral aircraft to move the packages, an aircraft that was announced back in January.
The Chaparral has the capability to lift between 300 and 500 pounds of cargo and transport it via air travel up to 300 miles, making it the first eVTOL aircraft of its kind as it doesn’t need airports or charging stations in order to successfully complete its trips.
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FedEx maintains that consumers’ heavy reliance on and unfettered growth of e-commerce has caused a shift in demand from the shipping company, creating a need for more innovative ways to get packages to the driveways they’re meant to get to both quickly and efficiently.
Test flights are set to begin in 2023.
FedEx Corporation was down just over 17% year over year as of late Wednesday.
