The Future of Drone Delivery in Australia

There is a lot going on in Australia's delivery space with The Iconic's recently announced expansion into drone delivered product lines and Uber Air's intention to start Air Taxi's in Melbourne. Companies such as The Iconic and Uber seek to use drones to gain huge efficiencies in delivery and commute times for those people who have access to and are willing to use them.

Here is what you need to know:

There are several obstacles that need to be addressed in order for these types of services to see any operational scale. For example:

• Airspace/regulatory approval – Integration into existing controlled airspace is vital for drone delivery to be safe for the general public.
• Infrastructure – Appropriate landing zones will need to be approved and constructed in a way that is convenient to users.
• Public perception – The initial "wow" factor will need to be accompanied with the perception of confidence and the ability to provide a fast and beneficial solution. Other factors such as noise pollution will need to be addressed in order to maintain public support. (This is already a topic of parliamentary review).

BIRDI is excited to see this type of innovation within the drone industry. We will continue to watch with interest at the drone delivery and passenger transport opportunities. We will work with key players in this space as it continues to emerge and particularly where common regulatory and safety practices are developed in the near future.

For now, BIRDI remains focused on supporting businesses that are already or looking to implementing drones into their operations, particularly those businesses with a focus on safety and risk management.