PORTLAND, Ore. – Skyward, a Verizon company, and UPS Flight Forward today announced collaborative efforts to deliver retail products with drones connected to Verizon 4G LTE, as well as 5G testing and integration for delivery. The companies intend to deliver retail products via connected drones at The Villages, Florida.
“We will need the ability to manage and support multiple drones, flying simultaneously, dispatched from a centralized location, operating in a safe and secure environment. To do this at scale, together with Verizon and Skyward, we will need 5G power, ”said Carol B. Tomé, UPS CEO.
“We are just beginning to see how the power of 5G Ultra Wideband will transform the way companies operate,” said Rima Qureshi, director of strategy at Verizon. “By partnering with UPS and other innovative companies, we can learn from each other’s experience and collaborate to create solutions that help move the world forward.”
In 2020, Verizon, UPS Flight Forward and Skyward began testing 4G LTE on delivery drones to demonstrate the reliability and performance of the phone at altitude.
“Low 5G latency and edge computing is ideal for monitoring air traffic inside and outside a busy logistics hub, especially those using mixed fleets of autonomous vehicles such as drones, trucks and planes,” said Mariah Scott, president of Skyward. “This year, we will take collaboration with UPS even further, testing ultra-broadband 5G integrations to connect the sky.”
UPS has operated more than 3,800 successful drone delivery flights since the creation of UPS Flight Forward, its drone delivery company, certified by the Federal Aviation Administration in 2019. But in 2020, drone delivery emerged as much more than that fast delivery of essential health items – during the global pandemic, provided high-risk seniors with a quick, contactless delivery option to stay healthy at home.
“Using Verizon’s 5G and Skyward, we will be able to transform the delivery experience – more personal, more on demand and with the same security, efficiency and reliability that our customers trust today.” said Bala Ganesh, vice president of UPS’s Advanced Technology Group.