Russian Post will test post office drones

2023: Drone Package Delivery Agreement

Russian Post and Rusdronoport agreed to conduct a test to deliver parcels using drones to drone ports. The partners will work out a set of measures for the phased development of the ground infrastructure of drone ports for the development of mail delivery. This was announced by the Russian Post on June 2, 2023.

The agreement was signed by Sergey Sergushev, Deputy General Director of the Russian Post for Logistics, and Nikolai Ryashin, General Director of Rusdronoport.

The dronoport has the functions of a post office, into which unmanned aircraft load parcels. For this purpose, in the upper part there is a landing surface with an automatic hatch for receiving departures. After delivering the parcel using a drone, the client can pick it up, as from a regular post office.

Mail will test 2 types of drone ports. The first is an easy option with 3 cells for parcels. In the second there will be room for simultaneous storage of 8 shipments. The maximum weight of the parcel is 10 kg. The design of the drone will be crack-resistant and closed. Only signal amplification antennas, video cameras and an external unit of the weather station are placed outside. For optimal temperature conditions, climate control is provided in drone ports.

Russian Post sees drone ports as an important element in the robotization of logistics and its transformation into a single technological process. As of June 2023, several logistics companies and marketplaces are testing similar devices in other countries. In Russia, this will be the first experience, but we are confident that drone ports will help reduce waiting times for customers and speed up delivery over the last mile, "said Sergei Sergushev, Deputy General Director of the Russian Post for Logistics.

Drones are definitely an integral part of the infrastructure of future cargo aerology, both at a short distance and with large devices. Automation of ground handling, change of cargo and batteries, as well as remote dispatching will significantly reduce the operator's costs per parcel. Drones, drones with a carrying capacity of up to 5 kg per 15 km may allow them to "fit" into market tariffs for the delivery of the "last mile" in the coming years, - commented Nikolai Ryashin, CEO of Rusdronoport.