‘Poultry in motion’: South Korea tests fried chicken delivery to remote island using a drone and four-wheel robot in the world’s most elaborate takeaway operation
South Korea has been testing drone-robot deliveries to remote islands, though a commercial launch is still some way off.
Drone deliveries are becoming more ambitiousA new South Korean trial delivered fried chicken to a remote islandIt's one of 80 test runs over the past month
Delivery drone programs are getting smarter and more ambitious: a trial scheme in South Korea has successfully delivered an order of fried chicken to a customer on the remote Biyang Island, via both a drone and an autonomous four-wheel robot.
The delivery drone traveled over three kilometers (1.86 miles) of ocean to reach its destination and transfer its delicious cargo, The Korea Times reports. There's no indication of how the takeaway meal actually tasted, but the "local resident" involved didn't lodge any complaints.
This is part of an extensive test by the Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) and the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), backed by the government in South Korea. Around 80 such deliveries have been completed in the past month.
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And Biyang Island is a particularly suitable challenge for this autonomous delivery technology. Not only is the location remote, it also features narrow alleys winding through the volcanic island, which traditional delivery vehicles would struggle with.
Ready to replace existing logistics
While commercial drones typically carry payloads of around three kilograms in weight, the flying machines tested here can hold up to 40 kilograms, which means a lot of items can be packed together in a single delivery and sent off.
"It is rare to repeatedly test high-payload deliveries under such varied conditions," said KASA, as per the report in The Korea Times. "This technology is reaching a level where it can replace everyday logistics operations."
There's still plenty of work to do, however: commercial services won't be ready for another five years, as the technology is developed further, and concerns over privacy and safety are worked out with regulators.
Even if it's not ready for the masses yet, it's an exciting glimpse into the future of drone-robot deliveries, with the tech advancing rapidly — and it's those in the most remote, difficult-to-reach locations that are set to benefit the most.
