Most 21st Century Technology To Watch Out For: Sidewalk Delivery Drones

• December 20, 2016

by Nena Perry-Brown

UrbanTurf usually stays away from publishing rankings or lists…except at the end of the year when we look back at the best that DC’s residential real estate scene had to offer during the previous 12 months. So, this week we are looking at not only the best but the most intriguing and peculiar things that came across our radar over the course of 2016. Enjoy.

Although DC is a no-fly zone, don’t be surprised if you see a drone on a city sidewalk at some point next year. A few months ago, European firm Starship Technologies began sending robotic sidewalk delivery drones-on-wheels on test runs in the District.

DC is the first locality nationwide to permit testing of sidewalk drone technology, which began in September and will run through the end of 2017. Starship’s drones are decked out with cameras similar to those on an autonomous vehicle to help it navigate through the streets; an alarm will deter theft and a speaker-microphone will enable remote operators to communicate.

The wheeled bots can venture as far as three miles from their home base at a sidewalk-friendly speed of four miles per hour; delivery recipients will use a unique PIN code to retrieve the bot’s contents.

Humans will play a role, at least in the initial rollout of the delivery drones. The Washington Post reported earlier this month that Starship Technologies is looking for “robot handlers” who will look after the drones as they make deliveries around the city.

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/most_21st_cent_tech_to_watch_out_for_sidewalk_delivery_drones/11974