Asian convenience stores are known for the wide variety and high quality of their products – and now, 7-Eleven in Japan is adding 20 minute delivery to their offerings. ANA Holdings, Japan’s major airline consortium and the group behind ALL NIPPON Airways and Air Japan, is leading a trial of drone deliver at 7-Eleven Japan. The trial is taking place on Nokonoshima in Fukuoka City.
This article published in collaboration with JUIDA, the Japan UAS Industrial Development Association.
The trial project is part of the “Project for Building Business Models for Logistics Services Using Drones” in Tokyo, and serves to demonstrate the safety and practicality of drone delivery in suburban areas. The goal of drone delivery for 7-Eleven is to reach full-scale Level 4 (BVLOS flights over populated area) drone operations.
For this project, a drone takeoff and landing site was set up a the 7-ELeven Hinode Oguno Store. Customers we able to order products from 7-Eleven’s Net Conbini site, and orders were delivered to 4 different delivery destinations. In the future, drones will utilize the parking lots of existing stores to take off and 7-Eleven personnel will load the drones, which can carry up to 5 kg.
“There are currently no shops that sell general goods on Nokonoshima, so residents need to take the ferry to the city to do their shopping,” says a JUIDA translation of an article in Japanese journal Logi-Biz. “During the tests, it was found that goods could be delivered within 20 minutes of being ordered.”
Since 2014, Japan UAS Industrial Development Association (JUIDA) has been facilitating & supporting the development of UAS/UAM in Japan, ranging from education, legislation, tradeshow, business matching up to international collaborations with the public and the private sectors. With more than 13,000 members & 250 accredited drone pilot schools, JUIDA continues to be a key player in Japan and overseas.
Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
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