Drone Waiters Set to be Trialled in Sydney After Success in Asia, UK

(Source: DailyTelegraph.com.au)  

 

Flying drone waiters, ­already a burgeoning trend in Asia and parts of the UK, could be headed to Australian restaurants as 3D robotic technology zooms into the hospitality industry.

Whizzing from kitchens to tables with drinks and plates of food on board, the new wave of autonomous drones are being seen as a legitimate alternative to human waiters thanks also to a loophole in civil aviation laws

Normally restricted from coming within 20m of people outdoors in line with Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASE), flying drones are not bound by the same laws when flying indoors in Australia.

And it’s a technicality that local restaurants could take advantage of as drone waiters shape as a cost saver — and an effective gimmick.
Unmanned drones, directed by vision positioning systems, have already hailed as a success in Singapore and London with several Sydney restaurateurs exploring the options of the futuristic food servers.

Balmain Pub Group boss Nick Wills, who counts the Greenwood Hotel and the Charing Cross Hotel in his pub stable, is set to trial one at one of his five venues.

“When I first heard about them I thought that it was something that could potentially dehumanise hospitality a little bit but now, having looked into it a bit deeper I think it’s something I will definitely consider,” said Wills, who noted staff labour was the No. 1 cost for hoteliers and restaurateurs.

“So you have to think well this is, at the very least, worth a look,” he said.

Drone expert Paris Cockitis, of Australia’s largest drone retailer Sphere in Alexandria, said the reality of a food delivery robot in restaurants was a matter of time.

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