DroneDek partners with A2Z on the drone network

Drone delivery is much more than just a drone. Just ask DroneDek and A2Z Drone Delivery.

The two companies, each focusing on a different part of the drone infrastructure, on Monday announced a technical integration partnership to combine the DroneDek smart mailbox with A2Z’s Second Generation Rapid Delivery System (RDS2) for drone delivery.

DroneDek’s “Mailbox of the Future” is a high-tech shipping container that has a drone charging station, heated and cooled storage compartment, full security system and many other features. In August, div debuted with clients in Lawrence, Indiana.

Mailbox will now be integrated with RDS2 A2Z, presented in August. It has a strong winch and cable capable of lifting 22 pounds of payload and lowering it from a height.

The company also manufactures its own RDST drone to pair with the system. But the main advantage of the RDS2 is the ability to upgrade almost any drone, whether it is intended for delivery or not.

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A2Z becomes the ninth organization to join DroneDek’s ecosystem of partners working on drone delivery infrastructure solutions, which also includes firms such as Hush Aerospace, portable battery startup Joule Case and facial recognition company Scylla.

“We’ve been very impressed with A2Z Drone Delivery over the past few years,” said Dan O’Toole, Founder and CEO of DroneDek. “Partnerships like these are key to building the strong infrastructure needed for the future of shipping and trade.”

In August, DroneDek demonstrated what its technology can do during a customer demonstration in Indiana. There, the PO Box accepted drone deliveries from local restaurants like McDonald’s and Culver’s, as well as first-class mail from the US Postal Service.

He also completed attractive pilot program last year, delivering snacks and drinks to golfers on the course at Lakes of Taylor Golf Club in Michigan.

Aaron Zhang, CEO of A2Z, is ready to get in on the action.

“As drone delivery becomes part of mainstream logistics operations, it is critical that service providers prioritize consumer safety in all operations,” Zhang said. “Ours [RDS2] allows the payload to be dropped from a height, keeping spinning propellers away from people and property, reducing intrusive rotor noise and eliminating privacy concerns for drones near private residences.”

Watch: The world’s first drone mailbox?

Security and privacy concerns are among the main factors keeping drone delivery largely grounded. Federal Aviation Administration regulations determine when, where, how high and how long drones can fly. This creates hurdles for companies looking to enter the space.

A2Z, however, promises to alleviate some of these problems by delivering packages from a height of around 100 feet. This reduces the noise and the number of drones buzzing overhead that caused this legal proceedings claiming that the planes were a nuisance.

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