Israeli drones deliver sushi and ice cream

A system to regulate commercial and medical drone flights is being tested in Israel to deliver sushi, ice cream and blood products by air, according to The Jerusalem Post, an English-language Israeli newspaper.

The third of eight planned phases of testing the pioneering drone transport system, which will be operated under central control similar to air traffic control corridors, is testing the delivery of products ordered through phone apps in Tel Aviv and its environs. Five transport companies are taking part in the testing, which is being conducted by the National Drone Initiative, the organisation that coordinates and regulates drone transport.

One of the aims of the trials is to create a national drone network. During the testing, the companies’ drones will make around 300 flights a day, from delivering sushi and ice cream to the beach to delivering blood products to hospitals, along flight paths designated by the common management system. During the two-year test, tens of thousands of drones can be seen in Israel’s skies, all controlled from the air traffic control centre on the Ajalon highway. The trials will also test their ability to carry out home deliveries in Brazil, guided from Tel Aviv.

The tests are in preparation for the time when dozens or even hundreds of drones will be flying continuously in the skies, carrying out various missions in the common airspace. The system will be able to prioritise different drone flights and “clear the skies” if the appearance of a large aircraft makes this necessary. The eight test phases will involve authorities modelling increasingly complex situations.

Source: Jerusalem Post