Cargo Delivery Drones: Volansi Signs Deal with NC DOT, Helping to Shape the Future

It’s a very exciting time for drone delivery: short distance tests of small package delivery are happening all over the world.  Residential drone delivery is a potential game changer for the retail industry, but cargo delivery drones offer a potentially more valuable and immediate solution for industry.  CA-based Volansi, experts in autonomous delivery of cargo for long distances, announces a new partnership with the NC Department of Transportation (DOT) to explore commercial, middle-mile drone delivery projects.

“Volansi and the N.C. Department of Transportation will work together with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),  to gather data on drone delivery programs and how they could be incorporated long-term into the current transportation infrastructure and regulations,” says a Volansi  press release.

It’s a step towards bringing Volansi’s cargo delivery drones into the mainstream – and the benefits are stunning.  Volansi works with both commercial and military customers.  The VOLY C10- Gen 2, Volansi’s all-electric, hybrid VTOL fixed-wing UAV, can carry up to 10 pounds of cargo over 50 miles.  The drones require no infrastructure, and because the drones fully land at the delivery point, they can deliver and return cargo such as samples for analysis and diagnosis, or parts for repair.  In an industrial setting like construction or mining, public transportation or trucking, being able to deliver parts or other required supplies for up to 50 miles on demand without having to wait for scheduled deliveries, bundle deliveries, or utilize valuable manpower could save millions.   It’s a value proposition that Volansi’s customers in Africa, the Caribbean, and the U.S. have already accepted.

With their entry into NC DOT’s IPP program, Volansi has the opportunity to demonstrate both the value and the safety case for cargo delivery drones.

“We are excited to have this opportunity to work closely with the FAA and the N.C. Department of Transportation to help shape how drones fit into our home country’s infrastructure,” said Hannan Parvizian, CEO and Co-Founder of Volansi. “We believe that one day, autonomous flight will be as commonplace and accessible as mailing a letter, and Volansi technology will play a pivotal part in this transport revolution.”

Mike Jackson, Volansi’s VP of Global Operations, tells DRONELIFE: “We are very excited about this opportunity to have open dialogue and to team with the NC DOT and FAA. It’s a testament to the tremendous amount of hard work and career experience the Volansi team has put into developing strong CONOPs for every one of our drone delivery projects that we were invited to the table. We look forward to collaborating and shaping what a concept of operations for safe BVLOS operations in the national airspace could look like. Unlocking this will truly be a springboard for the future of the UAV industry in our country.”

Volansi will initially perform tests and VLOS cargo delivery flights under Part 107 as part of the UAS Integration Pilot Program (IPP) in North Carolina, with the intent to scale to more projects with additional waivers and permissions with the support of the N.C. Department of Transportation and the FAA.