Volunteers made up of Virginia Tech employees and students will place the orders. Seriously, we’re not kidding here.
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A handful of Virginia Tech students and faculty will enjoy the luxury of drone-delivered Mexican food through a new pilot program from a Google-affiliated company and Chipotle, according to Bloomberg.
Astro Teller, playfully referred to as the “Captain of Moonshots” at an X lab created at Google to pursue big-vision projects such as drones and self-driving cars, said in a blog post that Project Wing team was ready to launch the test of a prototype drone delivery system. When Amazon encountered roadblock after roadblock at the FAA, it packed up its bags and took a trip to the United Kingdom to begin further testing.
According to a report in Bloomberg, Project Wing will use automated “self-guided hybrids” or drones that can replicate a plane as well as a helicopter’s motion in space to deliver the burrito using a winch. That’s right, flying burritos are coming to Virginia Tech. Project Wing spokesperson, Dave Vos, said that this is the first time that the company delivers what the consumers exactly want. The data gathered from this small-scale test will be used to help develop an even more advanced version of the drone that will be used in future delivery programs. They will make deliveries from a Chipotle food truck to assess the accuracy of navigation systems and how people respond. He noted that there were a lot of safety protocols and policies that had to be sorted out before it could start. While much of the project’s details, including its specific goals, are under wraps, it’s no secret that autonomous food delivery may become a widespread reality.
The university is part of the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership, one of six groups chosen as unmanned test beds by the FAA. The drones aren’t allowed to fly over people, the company said.
Testing will include ensuring packaging remains intact and that the food is still warm for ultimate customer satisfaction. Drone-delivery startup Flirtey Inc. delivered medicine to a rural health clinic past year, in another test.
“We’re increasingly optimistic about the potential for UAS to open up entirely new approaches to the transportation of and delivery of goods-including options that are cheaper, faster, less wasteful, and more environmentally sensitive than what’s possible today with ground transportation”, a spokesperson told the Daily Dot.
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Virginia Tech President Timothy Sands told Bloomberg, adding that the school chose to take part to make their mark in new transportation technology.
