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SINGAPORE: Grab announced on Tuesday (Jan 6) that it was launching a three-month drone delivery pilot in Tanjong Rhu as it looks to improve the overall efficiency of its food deliveries.
Geographical constraints and longer routes result in more complicated and less efficient deliveries for Grab delivery riders, the platform said.
For example, in Tanjong Rhu, the Kallang River separates homes from the main cluster of eateries and getting around it adds minutes to every trip, it said.
“This pilot aims to explore how autonomous tech can work hand-in-hand with our delivery-partner network to improve overall efficiency,” it said in a notice on its website.
The pilot will be conducted in partnership with ST Engineering’s Unmanned Air Systems business, which developed the drone solution used in the scheme.
Open to consumers ordering from within Tanjong Rhu, it will be limited to merchant partners from Bugis, Kampong Glam and Suntec City, allowing for a more controlled trial, said Grab.
Drone deliveries will run every Tuesday to Sunday between 10am and 6pm, with up to 28 each day.
“The average flight time is estimated to be about 8 minutes for a round trip, making it a quick and convenient option,” Grab added.
HOW IT WILL WORK
During the pilot, Grab delivery riders will bring orders to a drone launchpad at Republic Avenue, where they will be loaded for flight.
The drone will travel along its approved route across the Kallang River and be received at a landing hub in Tanjong Rhu.
The order will be unloaded, with a delivery rider completing the final leg of the journey to the customer.
The pre-planned flight plan for Grab's drone delivery pilot in Tanjong Rhu. (Image: Grab website)
Over 20 delivery riders have been trained for safe and efficient drone handoffs by ST Engineering, said Grab.
“While drones handle the tricky river crossing, delivery-partners provide the human touch that drones can’t: checking orders, managing handoffs to drone operators, and making sure every meal reaches the right doorstep safely,” it said.
Drone operations will pause during wet weather, and there will be no flights during public holidays, said Grab.
How to place a drone-delivered Grab food order
To place an order with drone delivery, customers should:
- Select the Drone Delivery (Beta) option on their Grab app.
- Choose from the available menu items and add their order to the basket. Customers can only order one item per delivery but are allowed to select multiple quantities of the same item.
- Pick a suitable delivery time as the pilot only offers scheduled deliveries.
- Check that they received a confirmation message after ordering with their order details and estimated time of arrival.
According to Grab, the pilot only allows cashless payment for a more seamless checkout experience.
Customers will be able to track the real-time status of their order on the app. If the drone delivery cannot be completed, the affected order will be switched to normal delivery.
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NOISE AND PRIVACY MEASURES
Noting possible concerns over the pilot, Grab said the pilot had been developed with noise and privacy considerations in mind.
The drones have been designed to operate at noise levels comparable to a normal conversation, said the delivery platform.
Since they will be flying largely over open waters, any potential noise impact is expected to be minimal, particularly for areas located further from the flight path, it added.
The drones’ navigation cameras will also not store any footage.
Grab said feedback would be gathered from residents, delivery riders and regulators to understand where drone tech added the most value and how it could be used to solve food delivery challenges.
“By introducing drones, we can reduce the effort needed for tricky routes and get food to hungry customers more efficiently,” it said.
Delivery riders also benefit from more efficient routes and the ability to complete more trips, it added.
This is not the first time drones have been tested for food deliveries in Singapore.
In 2022, delivery platform foodpanda teamed up with ST Engineering and Sentosa Development Corporation to pilot such deliveries from Sentosa’s restaurants and eateries to St John’s Island.
