Food deliveries take off in Iceland

The service is a test run for Flytrex, which wants to use drones to make it possible for mom-and-pop shops to compete with Amazon when it comes to one-hour delivery in a way that doesn't involve sending junior careening through the streets in his Toyota Camry. Deliveries that would usually take 25 minutes by auto in Reykjavik can be completed by a Flytrex drone in only four minutes, the company claims.

Iceland-based e-commerce player AHA has partnered with Flytrex to launch an on-demand drone delivery service in Reykjavik.

The restriction of a drop-off point will certainly limit the benefits of the drone delivery system, but it's better than nothing, which is what the rest of the world gets in the meantime. The delivery drones aren't carrying large packages, and it's relatively easy to handle a modestly-sized city with few big buildings.

Iceland might seem like a random location for early adoption of drone technology, but the reason is actually quite simple: Iceland's regulators were the first to approve this kind of project.

He adds, "The Icelandic Civil Aviation Authority understands that drone delivery is no longer a pipe dream, but a logistical system that has far ranging benefits to both businesses and consumers".

Drones can handle packages that weigh up to 3 kg and are a bit larger than a shoebox, so deliveries are now best suited for smaller orders or restaurant food. Drivers often need to navigate around the shoreline, but drones can just fly over the water.

"We're making delivery much more efficient", Bash told Supply Chain Dive. Specifically, it's serving one part of Reykjavik - robotic fliers carry food across a river in the city, cutting the delivery time from 25 minutes to 4.