5 Biggest Hurdles Preventing Delivery Drones
Drones could solve many common problems with last-mile deliveries. They’re fast, don’t emit greenhouse gas emissions, can avoid traffic, and provide a way around worker shortages. Despite those benefits, they have yet to take off in the mainstream.
It’s not that drone deliveries are altogether impossible. So, what’s stopping them from rewriting the delivery playbook? Let’s take a look at a few common obstacles to overcome.
5 Drone Obstacles
#1: Regulatory Challenges
Complicated legal considerations are the biggest barrier to drone deliveries today. While the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) allows such shipments, it requires a visual line of sight, among other restrictions. Some companies can get exemptions for certain rules, but this is a long, complex process.
State and local regulations further complicate the matter. Deliveries that may be permissible in one area may not be in another, and it can be difficult to juggle the differences for a nationwide enterprise.
Businesses can address these barriers in a few ways. First, they can use technologies like cloud platforms and AI to streamline the process of finding and comparing applicable laws.
Secondly, they can focus on deliveries in less heavily regulated areas first before daring with more complicated regions. Working with government bodies to push for broader standardization will help, too.
#2: Environmental Hazards
Drones must also grapple with in-transit dangers that don’t affect ground vehicles as heavily. For example, high winds and rain can lead to crashes or diminished battery life. There are also birds, power lines, and other hazards to contend with.
Newer technologies provide solutions. Some of these aircraft have GPS tracking and obstacle detection features to enable safer flying, even when encountering unexpected hazards. Equipping drones with additional sensors to detect wind changes or incoming physical dangers will further improve delivery safety.
Brands should also monitor the weather to cancel drone services if necessary. Some conditions are too dangerous to justify flying in, but last-minute cancelation frustrates consumers. Automatically updating websites and informing them of developments like inclement weather will help balance these considerations.
#3: Range and Battery Constraints
Short flight times pose a similar problem. Drone deliveries’ primary appeal is they can drop goods off within minutes, but battery constraints mean they can only do so for people close to the warehouse.
Customers living further away — who may appreciate speedy delivery more — might be too far for drones to reach them.
Thankfully, this issue is not a huge one. Roughly 70 percent of online shoppers prefer cheaper shipping over faster deliveries, so companies won’t take a large hit for not offering within-the-hour shipments to all shoppers.
Still, flying further and more often between charges will improve ROIs. Until technology enables longer flights, extending ranges is mostly a matter of battery management.
Stores should recharge all drones while not in use, store batteries in warm areas, and consider shortening delivery ranges amid high winds, which cause rotors to work harder.
#4: Cost Barriers
As with most new technologies, drones can also introduce monetary concerns. The purchase price of a small aircraft fleet aside, running these deliveries means hiring pilots, at least to oversee the route. Such a niche skill comes at a steep cost, given low supply and high demand.
The most obvious solution is to charge a premium for drone deliveries, but this strategy doesn’t always work. Hardware prices will fall over time, so the labor and consumer-facing cost concerns should be the focus. One way to address pilot salaries is to upskill existing employees, training them to fly or oversee drones.
On the customer side, enterprises can charge a slight premium to offset costs, but this should be less than double the price of conventional shipping. Performing market research to find areas most excited about and willing to pay for drone deliveries can also pay off. Organizations can target these locations before expanding as the technology becomes more cost-effective.
#5: Capacity Limitations
Another common obstacle is the fact that drones can’t carry as much as vans or trucks. Alphabet’s aircraft delivery company Wing has a maximum payload of just five pounds, and other services face similar limits.
Walmart and Amazon began running them in 2022, but neither service has managed significant volumes, and competitors remain few and far between.
As technology improves, heavier capacities will become possible. However, even when they do, the FAA restricts drones to 55 pounds — payload included. While plenty of products fit within that limit, it may make airborne deliveries a less viable option for businesses hoping for a quicker return on investment.
Companies should limit delivery cart weights to a figure safely below their aircraft’s maximum payload to prevent safety issues. Being upfront about limitations will help manage expectations.
As tech advances and payloads increase, retailers should upgrade to stronger options to ship more at once. For now, though, running multiple smaller deliveries is the safest approach.
Delivery Drone Projects Must Address These Obstacles
Drone delivery is an exciting prospect but also a challenging one. Retailers hoping to capitalize on this opportunity should consider these five barriers before investing.
Today’s challenges don’t mean drones will never be a viable delivery option. However, they may slow the industry’s growth until technology and regulatory trends catch up. For now, careful attention to such matters will help brands navigate the obstacles.