Alphabet-owned Wing, the company pushing the boundaries of drone delivery, has taken a decisive step forward with a new aircraft boasting significantly boosted capabilities. Ditching the limitations of its predecessor, the latest drone tackles the payload bottleneck head-on, doubling its capacity to a hefty 5 kilograms (11 pounds). That’s right, five kilos of convenience delivered directly to your doorstep – pizzas included! Just don’t expect your Xbox delivered just yet.
Read: Everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24+
Not only does the new drone lift double the weight, it zooms across distances at a zippy 105 kilometres per hour (65 mph). Combined with a 19-kilometer (12-mile) round-trip battery life, this translates to swift, sub-six-minute deliveries. Imagine that, outpacing even the speediest pizza delivery guy!
This game-changer doesn’t just bring convenience, it also improves efficiency. The increased payload allows Wing to consolidate deliveries, reducing the need for multiple drones per order. Currently, 30% of Wing’s deliveries require two drones due to the 2.3-kilogram (5-pound) limit. But with the new powerhouse in the air, Adam Woodworth, Wing’s CEO, envisions “streamlining deliveries of larger orders,” citing a last-minute pasta ingredient haul as a perfect example.
This is just the first chapter in Wing’s drone evolution. Expect to see a fleet of specialized aircraft in the near future, tailored for various needs. Woodworth likens it to a traditional delivery company utilizing trucks of different sizes. Sure, an Xbox might be beyond immediate reach, but who knows what the future holds!
For now, Wing’s upgraded drones will take flight sometime within the next year, initially gracing the skies of the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Australia, Finland, and Ireland. Partnering with giants like Walgreens and Walmart, Wing is bringing the dream of drone delivery closer to reality, one convenient package at a time.
