We hear so much about drones that might revolutionize delivery and logistics. It’s easy to underestimate – in lots of cases a robot can take over work that will be normal for a human – but there are a couple of examples where drone technology can really make a difference.
One such case is Indonesia, the world’s fourth largest country, home to greater than 260 million people on some 17,000 islands. In the country, which is the world’s largest archipelago, e-commerce giant JD.com conducted its first drone trial outside its native China.
JD said today that it accomplished its first “government-approved” drone delivery to the country earlier this month on January 8, in keeping with TechCrunch.
Instead of transporting customer orders, the corporate used the technology to move books and backpacks over 250 km from Jagabita village in Parung Panjang to students at MIS Nurul Falah Leles Primary School in a village near Bandung, the country’s fourth-largest city.
Representatives of the Indonesian Ministry of Transport, Civil Aviation and Air Navigation were present through the flight. The news was announced through the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum.
This drone delivery was a trial that was part of a big donation delivered by conventional methods.
In a press statement, JD.ID CEO Zhang Li said that the project is a component of the corporate’s commitment to the event of Indonesia beyond its business side, e27 reported.
Successful completion of the test may even open up opportunities for the corporate for future applications in Indonesia and Southeast Asia. JD.ID has over 20 million registered users in Indonesia and a catalog of over a million products.
But to present you an idea of the challenge, the corporate’s logistics efforts are spread across 10 warehouses spread across seven islands that cover 483 cities and 6,500 counties. It is evident that agile air solutions can have a huge effect if JD ensures reliability and obtains the vital government approvals.
