Yay – pizza delivery drones are nearly here

The Herald reports:

Aerial pizza delivery may sound futuristic but Domino’s has been given the green light to test New Zealand pizza delivery via drones.

The fast food chain has partnered with drone business Flirtey to launch the first commercial drone delivery service in the world, starting later this year.

Domino’s Group chief executive and managing director, Don Meij said the company had been investigating innovative and new delivery methods as business had grown.

This included looking at robotic delivery, which the government is still considering. …

New aviation rules which came into force on August 1 last year allowing and control the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones) for recreational and commercial purposes in New Zealand.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges said the government was continuing to review the laws to ensure New Zealand was at the forefront of the industry.

“As Transport Minister I have been actively promoting New Zealand as a test bed for new transport technology trials,” Bridges said. “Our enabling laws and regulation means we have the ideal environment to trial all forms of technology.”

“The trial is also a valuable opportunity for the Civil Aviation Authority, who are making sure that appropriate safety precautions are taken,” he said.

According to Meij, the company had been investigating delivery options for a while, saying that it didn’t make sense to have a two tonne machine delivering a two kilogram order.

He said the use of drones offered a faster and safer option as well as removing barriers such as traffic and distance, meaning they could deliver further afield and faster in urban areas.

I normally order from Hell but I’d order from Dominos just for the fun of having it delivered by drone!