Pizza chain becomes first in Russia to use drone delivery service

A pizza chain in the northern city of Syktyvkar has successfully launched a new helicopter drone delivery service, with the new machines able to deliver pizzas within 30 minutes of orders being placed.

The drones were developed by Russian company CopterExpress, who have yet to fit the new machines with payment facilities, meaning orders have to be paid for over the phone.

The drones are kitted out with a video camera linked to the restaurant’s manager to ensure safe delivery of the pizza to the correct customer. The helicopter-like flying devices are also equipped with anti-theft systems, with an emergency mechanism set to release the chopper’s cable if it is pulled too hard, allowing the drone to fly away to safety.

The drone, which flew over the city’s main square on Saturday to rapturous applause, marks DoDo Pizza as one of the world’s first for drone delivery, with the company ahead even of international online retailer Amazon who is still in the testing phase of using unmanned delivery drones.

Other services which have successfully used drones for delivery include California-based Mexican restaurant Burrito Bomber; Minnesota beer brewery Lakemaid Beer, who used drones to fly out ice-cold beers to fishermen working in remote locations before being shut down by the US government; and Sydney-based drone delivery startup Flirtey, who collaborated with book rental service Zookal to drop off books around the Australian capital.

Source: The Moscow Times