One of the bigger names in the UAV delivery industry, Wing Aviation, is set to make a demonstration this week, making a public delivery at The Island.
It’s a fairly fresh face to see around Sun ‘n Fun, with some short clips already posted to show their capabilities to fans around the world how close the future is. Still, avid shoppers will find Wing’s carrying capacity a little too limited to their usual orders: Payloads are limited to 5 pounds, packed in a little doggy bag that winches down from the floating UAV. It’s not quite the solution for a biweekly shopping trip for a family of four, but for an urgent part, ingredient, or small meal in a jiffy it’s a little more eco-friendly than running the average van with a traditional combustion engine.
Wing is again a sponsor at Sun 'n Fun, demonstrating their delivery system with a small range to show off the system in action. Wing delivery may be a familiar sight to those lucky enough to live under their service umbrella already, since the brand has inked deals with a few high-profile fulfillment brands already. Perhaps the most common sight under a Wing drone is a blue and yellow Walmart doggy bag, humming along with some last-minute ingredients or relief supplies for a sudden cold.
The system has been designed for efficiency already, but their latest seems to be just a tad more mature than it was in years past. Now, shippers hook in one of their disposable, folded cartons to a launch point, where a passing drone drags its hook tether into position and snags its payload. From there its winched up and tucked in for a range of about 6 miles, at a max altitude of 400 feet. They stick to Class C airspace, to make the most of the improved radar coverage and traffic control, backed up by ground-based ADS-B stations.
FMI: www.wing.com
