Drone delivery takes off in Finland

Finnish postal operator Posti have kicked off a trial-run of their new drone delivery system. The drone will be carrying deliveries between Helsinki and the island of Suomenlinna, across a distance of two and a half miles.

The drone is called Next Eagle. It can carry up to 6.6 lbs and has a laser-based observation system that helps it to avoid collisions, as well as parallel communication links with operator and helicopter. The trial, which started on September 4th, lasts four days.

Posti is experimenting with drone delivery in the context of online shopping, which drones could help make speedier and more efficient. However, the restrictive rules surrounding unmanned aircraft make the implementation of drone-based delivery difficult, as there are limits on heights, routes, and the time and number of drone flights.

Last year, DHL also launched an experimental drone project over the North Sea island of Juist, with their ‘parcelcopter’.

(Source: JOC.com)