United Parcel Service drivers might be getting companions to help with deliveries in the near future. Unfortunately for them, however, there won’t be any partner bonding over in-car karaoke or talking about Jimmy Butler’s buzzer-beater the night before. That’s because that companion would be an autonomous delivery drone, a technology UPS and Workhorse Group are testing in rural residential areas with new brown trucks that house the flying machines.
This idea of pairing drones with vehicles has bubbled up in the past few years both in commercial and personal vehicles. Mercedes-Benz has a similar concept for a logistics truck, the Renault Kwid had a drone to identify traffic issues, and Rinspeed’s Etos had a drone and landing pad basically just for kicks. But the Workhorse-designed UPS truck seems to be the most viable idea yet using an octocopter called the Workhorse HorseFly UAV Delivery system.
The drones are being tested with hopes of streamlining routes and increasing efficiency. All from inside the truck, the UPS driver could load the drone through the roof and launch it using a control tablet or remote. The drone would then autonomously deliver a package at a designated location while the driver continues to the next delivery spot. When the drop is made, the drone would automatically know how to return to the truck and dock for another load. The dock acts as a charging station, but Workhorse claims the drone could operate for up to 3...