Audio Video News

If you had any doubts, drone delivers are on the path to becoming a real thing.

A couple weeks ago Amazon carried out the first successful test of its Prime Air drone delivery system in England. Yesterday, Reno, NV-based Flirtey announced that it had completed 77 autonomous drone deliveries, making it the first drone delivery service to complete regular commercial deliveries to homes in the U.S.

The deliveries are part of a collaboration with 7-Eleven that kicked off in July with the world's first autonomous drone delivery to a customer's residence in the U.S.

The company said it conducted regular weekend deliveries during November from a 7-Eleven store to a dozen customers who used an app to place and track orders. “Along with listing all items available for delivery, the interactive app also notified customers when their drone was loaded, when it departed from the store, and when it was arriving at their doorstep,” according to a press statement.

Once an order is placed, merchandise—including items such a hot and cold food and over-the-counter medicines—are loaded into a special container and flown via a GPS-guided drone to the customer's house where it hovers in place while the container is lowered. Customers receive orders on average in less than 10 minutes from when an order is placed, according to Flirtey.

“One customer was so excited by the experience that she called her family to tell them they had just become ‘the real-life Jetsons,’” Flirtey reported, noting that all participating customers say they will continue to use the delivery service as operations expand.

"We have now successfully completed the first month of routine commercial drone deliveries to customer homes in partnership with 7-Eleven," said CEO Matthew Sweeny. "This is a giant leap towards a future where everyone can experience the convenience of Flirtey's instant store-to-door drone delivery."

Customers from all walks of life—elderly couples, working parents, and college students—participated in the delivery pilot. Speed and convenience were cited as the most appealing aspects drone delivery, the company said.

Popular items included hot food items, cold beverages and over-the-counter medicine, which has been a focus for Flirtey because of the convenience it offers. Flirtey and 7-Eleven are planning to expand drone delivery operations in 2017.

In April, Flirtey completed the first fully autonomous FAA-approved urban drone delivery in the U.S. The test was conducted in an uninhabited residential setting in Hawthorne, Nevada, home of the Hawthorne Army Depot, which stores reserve ammunitions.

The welcoming message on Flirtey’s website reads: “Instant drone delivery isn’t the future—it's happening now. We have pioneered the technology and the logistics, and now we’re future-proofing delivery systems around the globe. Soon, Flirtey drones in the sky will look as normal as delivery trucks on the road—and retail, quick service restaurants, and humanitarian efforts will be changed forever.”