Dominos Pizza Delivery Meets Drones

    Aug. 30, 2016

    New Zealand franchises are experimenting with drone-based delivery services for faster, more convenient delivery.

    Were you among the many who rolled their eyes a year or so back when Amazon talked up its master plan to use drones for faster, cheaper delivery service. Well, drones have come a long way since then and now another name brand—Domino’s Pizza—is experimenting with using drones to deliver your favorite pie.

    According to an article in the Washington Post, Domino’s Pizza Enterprises in New Zealand has demonstrated a flying drone that delivers pizza and it’s hoping to make the service available there later this year. The group, which also has franchise rights for the Domino’s brand in Australia, Japan, France, and Germany, among other countries, is partnering with a drone delivery company called Flirtey to make its flying pizza dream happen.

    Another report, in the Guardian, says New Zealand is one of the first to approve commercial drone delivery, having done so last year. The report says the process is a bit more complex in the United States thanks to government restrictions on who is allowed to operate drones.

    Nevertheless, if the down-under pizza-by-drone experience is a success, my guess is we’ll see similar services in U.S. cities in no time. And that rocks for anyone with a late-night pepperoni craving.

    About the Author

    Beth Stackpole, contributing writer | Contributing Editor, Automation World

    Beth Stackpole is a veteran journalist covering the intersection of business and technology, from the early days of personal computing to the modern era of digital transformation. As a contributing editor to Automation World, Beth's coverage traverses a range of industries and technologies, including AI/machine learning, analytics, automation hardware and software, cloud, security, edge computing, and supply chain. In addition to her high-tech and business journalism work, Beth writes an array of custom editorial content and thought leadership pieces.

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