A2Z Introduces Long-Range Delivery Drone

The RDSX Pelican delivers payloads up to 11 pounds as far as 25 miles.

Friday, May 05, 2023 at 04:12 PM ET

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A 3D rendering of A2Z’s Pelican hybrid VTOL drone, featuring the RDS2 winch-and-tether system. [Courtesy: A2Z Drone Delivery]

Key Takeaways:

The drone delivery industry faces significant challenges in achieving profitable unit economics, a hurdle A2Z Drone Delivery aims to overcome with its new RDSX Pelican drone.
The RDSX Pelican features a hybrid VTOL airframe providing an extended range of nearly 25 miles and a simplified design without traditional control surfaces or servo motors to reduce maintenance and lower operating costs to approximately 9.5 cents per pound per mile.
Pelican integrates A2Z's Rapid Delivery System 2 (RDS2) with a winch and tether for efficient package drops from altitude, offers reconfigurable options for varied payloads or specialized missions, and is available for pre-order starting at $29,000.

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As the FAA and state and local authorities work to commercialize drone delivery, the industry faces another looming challenge: unit economics.

Even after food delivery services like Uber Eats and DoorDash got big, it took years for those companies to reach profitability. Ultrafast delivery startups, meanwhile, have struggled to even remain in business. Drone delivery presents a similar obstacle: ensuring that each trip turns a profit.