Food delivery by drone takes off in Sweden

Starting this spring in Värmdö, just outside Stockholm, foodora Air will deploy electric drones with a range of 21 kilometers for quick and convenient food delivery. The service is expected to have a minimal impact on the environment since each drone emits only 2 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer. Traditional gasoline or diesel-powered delivery vehicles, meanwhile, emit 143 and 110 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer, respectively.

Stefan Trampus, an executive vice president at Tele2, says, “Technology and connectivity have the potential to break many of the limitations that currently exist in rural areas, where access to various services and products has decreased in line with rapid urbanization.”

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Deliveries will be made directly to customers’ properties or gardens, with the package being lowered from the air using a cable. Deliveries will commence in May in Värmdö, and food can be ordered through the foodora app.

The company says it aims to expand the drone delivery service to more areas in Sweden so that more locations can benefit from service levels that typically only big cities enjoy.

“We are proud to be the first [online food delivery brand] in Europe to launch real drone deliveries… Fast home deliveries are a democratic issue, in my opinion. Regardless of where you are in the country, it should be possible to quickly get what you need, such as medicines or groceries. It should not only be available to people who have chosen to settle in big cities,” says Daniel Gustafsson Raba, director of operations at foodora.

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