Drones can no longer be thought of as novelty products. In 2012, the drone industry was worth $40 million. By 2017, its value had reached more than one billion dollars. Such trends indicate drones are clearly here to stay. Added features such as GPS systems and high-quality cameras simply make them even more useful.
As a result, businesses have begun to experiment with using drones for making deliveries. For instance, Alphabet, Google’s parent company, has tested drone delivery in Australia, partnering with restaurants and pharmacists to efficiently bring their products to customers. Ele.me, a food delivery service owned by Alibaba, has also recently been granted approval to deliver food via drones.
There are many key advantages to this approach. They include:
Boosting Customer Satisfaction
Drones can deliver items to customers more quickly than traditional delivery methods because they don’t need to navigate roads. Instead of trying to find the fastest route to a customer, a drone can simply fly straight to them. This is an easy but effective way to make the right impression on customers. Businesses that embrace drone delivery services through Android and iOS mobile application development will get a competitive edge as a result.
Saving Money
Again, drones don’t need to travel via roadways. They also don’t need drivers. This helps businesses reduce costs as they’re able to make deliveries more efficiently. It also reduces the need for human workers and expensive delivery vehicles.
Helping the Planet
Drones come in various sizes. Some of the smaller “quad” and “octo” models use relatively little energy. This reduces a business’ carbon footprint.
It’s worth noting that 86% of US consumers report favoring brands that are socially conscious and sustainable. Using drones helps businesses cater to those expectations.
That said, it will be necessary for companies to make certain changes in order to adapt to drone delivery methods. Because companies are still in the relatively early stages of testing drones in this capacity, ensuring this approach is technically feasible may take some time. Additionally, regulations may stand in the way.
Businesses that do begin using drone delivery on a regular basis will also need to make sure their fulfillment warehouses can prepare and ship orders quickly. On top of that, they’ll have to prioritize security to prevent the software necessary for operating drones from being hacked.
Brick-and-mortar shops will also have to adjust, finding new ways to offer the kind of in-store experiences that attract customers. When convenient drone delivery is an option, people need good reasons to visit stores in person.
All that said, it’s clear drone delivery is on its way. Businesses that prepare for this shift sooner rather than later will benefit. So will their customers.
