FedEx Express and Wing Aviation have completed the US’s first scheduled commercial residential drone delivery. The delivery was made to a home in Christiansburg, Virginia, and was conducted as part of the US Department of Transportation’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program (IPP).
The delivery also represented the first scheduled e-commerce delivery via drone delivery trial in the US. For the duration of the trial, Wing drones will transport select FedEx packages to qualifying homes in Christiansburg, demonstrating the benefits of drone delivery for last-mile delivery service. Wing has received the first authorization from the FAA to conduct scheduled, commercial drone package delivery to residences.
“Innovation has been part of the FedEx DNA since day one, and we are always looking for new and better ways to deliver the world to our customers’ doorsteps,” said Don Colleran, president and CEO of FedEx Express. “For our customers in Christiansburg, this collaboration will test the latest innovation in the last mile of a residential package delivery. We hope that this latest addition to our delivery options will enhance the last mile service for urgent same-day deliveries, customers in rural or semi-rural areas, and other exceptional delivery needs.”
FedEx is also participating in the US DOT’s Unmanned Aircraft System IPP in conjunction with the Memphis Shelby-County Airport Authority, conducting drone operations on airport property to generate data to help inform future UAS policymaking.
Watch a video of the trial in action here.