Drones to deliver parcels at Belgian science center

Drones will be delivering parcels to Technopolis, a science education centre in Mechelen, early next year. It could become the first commercial drone delivery route in Belgium.

Safer and contactless

A Belgian start-up will be launching drone deliveries in Mechelen early next year, from the nearby bpost site. Conversely, the drones will also be able to return parcels to the site of the Belgian postal services. In collaboration with the city of Mechelen and Technopolis, the start-up wants to test the possibilities of commercial deliveries by drones in Belgium.

The company, called Drone Future, has developed a system with an intelligent mailbox for drones, so that they can deliver parcels autonomously and safely. For the return journey, users can similarly drop their parcel in the box and order a drone via the app to collect it.

“Packages are already being delivered by drones abroad, but they are simply dropped off in customers’ gardens, for example. We were looking for a solution to deliver parcels safely without people having physical contact with the drones, and while being careful about theft and vandalism”, co-founder Kris Rottiers explained to Data News.

During the test in Mechelen, the drones will initially be able to carry parcels weighing up to five kilos. If successful, Drone Future hopes to increase the volume and ensure that more parcels are delivered and returned. Ultimately, the initiators hope to create “the first commercial flight route” in Belgium.