Associate Editor Aileen Mack joined Dockwalk in July 2018. She is a graduate of the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. If she’s not at a concert or coffee shop, she is lost in a book, movie or a YouTube rabbit hole. Email Aileen at aileen@dockwalk.com.
Giving contactless delivery a new and more technologically advanced definition, Drone to Yacht has expanded its food delivery service by drone to an additional location in the Balearic Islands. In collaboration with Miramar Restaurant in Cala Blanca, the service by Galician company Aerocámaras made its first delivery in Menorca on July 8.
Food deliveries are requested from an app, and the delivery drone has a winch system with a camera and hook that descends 20 meters, local media Menorca Es Diari reports. Orders are placed in a cloth bag with a maximum of four kilos for food and drink.
The service originally launched in November 2021 in Eivissa, Ibiza. The Menorca launch was made possible by Diego Merino of Miramar Restaurant, who allowed Drone to Yacht to establish a base on the property. This allows the drone to reach the cove or vessel anchoring areas in about 60 to 90 seconds at 60 kmph.
The drone pilot clears the area, warning people of the passage, so it can leave through the area of the channel for boats. Then it flies a programmed path until it reaches the yacht, where the co-pilot takes control of the winch and lowers the bag to the customer. The camera then sends the video to one of the monitors at the base to show when the order is received before the drone returns.
The fully electric drones go about 60 meters high but could reach a maximum of 120 and a minimum of one or two meters from sea level, according to regulations. The battery lasts for up to four trips (estimating at about 4,000 meters for each order).
Drone to Yacht aims to make more than just food deliveries in the future.