Innovation  |  8 Apr 2022

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A ground-breaking drone logistics company is joining Ōtautahi Christchurch’s pioneers and innovators by using the city to develop an integrated drone delivery network.

Swoop Aero has partnered with ChristchurchNZ’s Urban Development team to test a network including the Aviary, an autonomous docking station for a fleet of drones.

 But don’t expect to see flocks of drones in Christchurch skies anytime soon — the collaborative programme is more about examining what it would take to create such a network, and the benefits it would bring to business and residents across the city.

 “We have proven our capabilities in remote and rural areas,” said Swoop Aero’s CEO Eric Peck.

 “This partnership will develop and implement the concept of an urban drone logistics network in a modern, future-facing city, bringing us closer to our goal to providing a service accessible to 100 million people by 2025.”

 The company integrates drone logistics into the first and last mile of the supply chain. Since 2017, it has completed over 13,000 ‘Beyond Visual Line of Sight’ flights, safely delivering over 700,000 items worldwide. 

 It is the first company globally to deliver a vaccine via a commercial drone operation in Vanuatu, deploying bi-directional drone networks to help bridge the gap in access to healthcare for remote island communities. 

 Swoop Aero’s technology platform is deployed across three continents, including in the United Kingdom, Australia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique and Malawi. Now the company is looking at bringing their experience to an urban environment.

 “This partnership is a natural fit for an urban development team within an economic development agency,” said ChristchurchNZ's General Manager of Urban Development Cath Carter.

 “Urban development is traditionally about unlocking the economic potential of places, land and buildings. This partnership expands that ambition to urban skies.” 

 The aerospace and future transport sector has a current global value of $360 billion and is estimated to be a $2.7 trillion industry by 2050.

 It is one of four “supernodes” of future-focused growth industries being actively nurtured by ChristchurchNZ to stimulate sustainable economic growth for a more prosperous city.