Integrating Drone Cargo Delivery with Manned Aircraft Cargo Services: Dronamics, Qatar Airways Ink Agreement

Revolutionizing Global Cargo Logistics: Dronamics and Qatar Airways Cargo Forge Groundbreaking Interline Agreement for Seamless and Efficient Transport Networks

Dronamics, the cargo drone airline with operational licensing in Europe, has entered into an interline agreement with Qatar Airways Cargo, the prominent international cargo carrier. This collaboration marks the inaugural interline agreement between an international airline and a cargo drone carrier.

The interline arrangement facilitates an extension of the delivery networks for both entities, thereby significantly broadening their operational footprint. It also allows access to areas that were traditionally challenging to reach using conventional air freight methods. Under the terms of the agreement, Dronamics can provide cargo services from any of its droneports, initially in Greece, to the wider Qatar Airways Cargo network. This network includes destinations such as Singapore, China (including Hong Kong), and the United States (JFK). Simultaneously, Qatar Airways Cargo gains access to remote locations served by Dronamics, such as the Greek islands, through the cargo drone network.

This expansion empowers Dronamics customers to make single bookings for transporting goods from a Dronamics droneport to any destination within the joint network, and vice versa. The potential for streamlined transport of various goods, ranging from pharmaceuticals to food, e-commerce shipments, mail, parcels, and spare parts, is considerable. This facilitates rapid and reliable shipments to and from locations that were previously underserved by air freight.

Svilen Rangelov, Co-Founder and CEO of Dronamics, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, “We’re very excited to have the world’s largest air cargo carrier as our partner for the first-of-its-kind interline agreement with our category-defining cargo drone airline. While currently less than 1% of global trade moves by air, the vast global reach of Qatar Airways Cargo and their world-leading capacity and service give us the perfect platform to massively expand air cargo accessibility to countless more communities worldwide, enabling same-day delivery for everyone, everywhere.”

Elisabeth Oudkerk, SVP Cargo Sales & Network Planning at Qatar Airways Cargo, noted, “As a part of our VISION 2027 5-year strategy, we are committed to remaining at the forefront of our industry by embracing new disruptive technology. It is also within our DNA to support young ambitious companies like Dronamics, and we are looking forward to seeing what the future holds for this exciting business. It is a significant milestone in the advancement of autonomous cargo drone transportation, and we are proud to be the first international airline to offer this service.”

Dronamics is poised to commence commercial operations in Greece early next year, focusing on establishing a same-day service connecting Athens with the industrial north area of the country, as well as the southern islands.

Earlier this year, Dronamics achieved the distinction of becoming the first cargo drone airline to obtain IATA & ICAO designator codes, placing it on par with other international airlines. This recognition enables seamless bookings with its airline partners through the issuance of air waybills. The interline agreement represents a crucial next step in Dronamics’ plan to establish a cargo drone airline network with global reach.

Dronamics specializes in the development and operation of large, long-range drones tailored for cargo transport. Its flagship Black Swan aircraft can carry up to 350 kg (770 lb) over a distance of up to 2,500 km (1,550 mi), offering estimated advantages of up to 80% faster, 50% cheaper, and up to 60% lower emissions compared to alternative transport modes, including airfreight. The company’s technology facilitates same-day shipping over long distances for various industries, from pharmaceuticals to food, e-commerce, mail, parcels, to spare parts. Dronamics is co-funded by the European Union under the European Innovation Council, Europe’s flagship innovation program.

Read more:

• Dronamics and Aramex Partner to Develop Cargo Drone Flights in UAE and Other Key Markets
• Dronamics Cargo Drone: Black Swan Can Carry 770 Pounds from New York to Texas. Is This the Future of Trucking?
• DRONAMICS: Could Massive Delivery Drones Replace Trucks and Change the World?
• Cargo Drones to Deliver the Post in Greece: Same Day Delivery for Everyone, Everywhere