Logistics future When the robot delivers your package

Düsseldorf · Retailers and delivery services are always looking for innovative ways to transport packages. Deutsche Post is testing its yellow flying machine.

People in Düsseldorf’s Grafenberg area might witness an unusual sight in a few weeks: Starting in September, Media Markt will send a delivery robot to their neighborhood. For customers who place an order and live within a 5 kilometer radius, the electronics store will deliver the package right to their front door - courtesy of a robot on six wheels. He’ll scurry along, negotiating the sidewalks with nine cameras to help him avoid bumping into lampposts and people. A real person will also be on hand just to make sure all goes smoothly and to answer any questions from passers-by.

Media Markt belongs to retail giant Metro, whose hope is that the robot, developed by Starship Technologies, will soon allow a fast and inexpensive delivery “in nearly real time.” Metro is not alone with its high hopes for high tech. The Otto corporation, which owns Hermes said it is already planning test runs with the Starship robots for this month.

Other corporations such as Amazon and Deutsche Post are putting packages on drones to fly them to customers. “Paketcopter” is the name of the Post’s yellow unmanned flying object. The Bonn-based company says it is trying out air drones to avoid having to use the ground-based traffic grid. In that way, natural barriers such as water or mountains are not an obstacle to delivering the shipment. This could also prove useful for delivering medical supplies to remote areas in cases of emergency.

Logistics expert Herbert Kotzab, from the University of Bremen is skeptical about the future of delivery robots, “They are really nice to consider but they will not survive the tests they are confronted with every day.” Many customers will simply have problems with the technology. In fact, a recent survey does show a majority of people to be skeptical about the new innovation. Three quarters believe the air drones could bring on accidents and damages. Not even one third could imagine delivery by drone.

What would it cost the customer to receive a package by drone? Deutsche Post said they don’t have an answer to this question as this is a pure research project at this stage. They are trying to figure out how to provide more flexible service for customers. (Original text: dpa, Erich Reimann)

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