News & Analysis
The grid, reported.
Independent coverage of drone delivery regulation, operators, technology and business — updated daily.
TECHNOLOGY
How packages reach the ground: comparing winch, drop and landing delivery mechanisms
The aircraft is only half the delivery. How the package actually reaches the customer — on a tether, in a padded drop container, or via a landing — shapes what payloads can be carried, what locations can be served, and how fast the operation can cycle.
TECHNOLOGY
The C2 link: how operators maintain control of aircraft they cannot see
The Command and Control link is the communication channel that connects a remote pilot to a BVLOS drone. When it works, it is invisible. When it fails, a pre-programmed contingency takes over. Here is how it works and why it matters.
REGULATION
Japan’s Level 4 drone regulations: what the December 2022 reforms actually changed
Japan became one of the first countries to explicitly permit drone delivery flights over populated areas without a pilot maintaining visual contact with the aircraft. The December 2022 amendments to the Civil Aeronautics Act established the Level 4 framework. Here is what it contains.
OPERATORS
Wing in Australia: the operational record that has run longer than any other Western delivery service
Wing has been operating commercial drone delivery in Australia since 2019, making it the longest-running delivery drone service in the Western world. Here is what the Australian operation has demonstrated — and why it matters for the global industry.
OPERATORS
Flytrex and the North Carolina model: suburban food delivery under the FAA BEYOND programme
TECHNOLOGY
Cold chain drone delivery: the temperature control challenge for medical and pharmaceutical payloads
BUSINESS
What a drone delivery hub actually needs: infrastructure, space and staffing
TECHNOLOGY
Weather constraints on drone delivery: what atmospheric conditions mean for operations
TECHNOLOGY
Battery technology and the range constraint: the energy problem shaping drone delivery