Latest news with #AvinashHV
Mint
02-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
This Bengaluru housing complex gets groceries via drones in under 10 minutes. Check details
In a first-of-its-kind initiative in South Bengaluru, residents of Prestige Falcon City are now receiving groceries, medicines, and other daily essentials through drone deliveries, thanks to a partnership between BigBasket and Skye Air Mobility, a drone logistics firm. According to a report by the Hindustan Times, the service has been introduced to enhance delivery speed, improve operational efficiency, and reduce traffic congestion within the gated community. The drone service delivers goods in five to ten minutes, with operations running daily from 7 am to 8 pm. The cost to the customer remains unchanged. 'The delivery model involves a BigBasket storage facility within 5 km of the apartment complex. All orders for the community are routed through this facility. The drones, operated by Skye Air, have received DGCA approval, and the entire system is integrated for real-time tracking of drone movements,' said Avinash HV, Bengaluru Apartment Federation South President and a member of the Prestige Falcon City Resident Welfare Association, in a statement to HT. The drones are satellite-connected and fly along designated 3D-mapped corridors, with coordination from agencies such as Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). They are camera-free, making them neighbourhood-friendly. Deliveries are limited to packages weighing under 7 kilogrammes. A dedicated staff member stationed within Prestige Falcon City receives the drone packages and facilitates smooth handovers to residents. The system can batch multiple orders or send them individually, depending on demand. Residents have noted a visible reduction in internal congestion since the drones replaced frequent trips by multiple delivery agents. The environmental benefit is another highlight: drone deliveries reduce the travel radius and help lower carbon emissions, especially in traffic-heavy areas where aerial distances are nearly half of road routes. Ankit Kumar, founder and CEO of Skye Air Mobility, said, 'We are currently handling 40–50 orders daily, and in quick commerce, speed is everything. Our batching system boosts efficiency.' Kumar said Skye Air plans to expand its services to 20 more housing societies across Bengaluru within the next three months, targeting areas like Jayanagar, Bannerghatta Road, and Electronic City. To support the expansion, the company is working on establishing a dedicated Skye Pod Network—infrastructure designed to enable residential complexes to receive drone deliveries directly. Currently, Skye Air operates with two drones, but the firm aims to scale up to 25–30 drones to meet projected demand. 'A delivery rider typically manages 30 deliveries per day, earning about ₹ 800, while a drone can deliver 60 orders daily, effectively doubling efficiency,' Kumar said. The company also plans to extend the delivery radius of its dark stores from 1.8 km to 5 km, reducing the need to build additional facilities and saving both capital and operational expenditure. Despite its success at Falcon City, Kumar acknowledged the regulatory and enforcement hurdles. 'While we get airspace approvals from civil aviation authorities, one of the biggest challenges is dealing with ground-level enforcement, like informing local police under Drone Rules 2021. Navigating these local complexities is a crucial part of scaling,' he said. Real estate experts, however, remain cautiously optimistic. According to Gulam Zia, Senior Executive Director at Knight Frank India, 'Regulatory clarity from both central and state authorities is crucial, as the use of drones in public zones currently lacks a comprehensive policy framework. Infrastructure, safety, and airspace coordination remain key concerns. Some gated communities may adopt drones in pilot phases, but at present, this remains experimental.' He further stated, 'From a real estate perspective, its impact is minimal in the immediate term. Meaningful integration can only emerge once policies, infrastructure, and operational models are clearly established.' Kumar emphasized that drone delivery will not entirely replace traditional quick commerce logistics. Instead, it is poised to complement existing systems, especially as automation and sustainability continue to influence future urban infrastructure. 'The aerial distance is nearly half of road routes, especially in traffic-heavy areas. We are looking to expand the delivery radius of dark stores from 1.8 km to 5 km in future, reducing the need for more dark store infrastructure and saving both capex and opex,' he said. First Published: 2 May 2025, 08:09 PM IST
Hindustan Times
02-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
In Bengaluru, drones now deliver groceries and medicines to residents in under 10 minutes
An apartment complex in South Bengaluru now receives groceries, medicines, and daily essentials through drone deliveries. Prestige Falcon City association has teamed up with quick commerce platform BigBasket and drone logistics firm Skye Air Mobility to enable deliveries using drones within five to 10 minutes. Residents say the initiative aims to speed up service, enhance efficiency, and reduce traffic congestion within the gated community, which previously saw multiple delivery agents making frequent trips. Using drones also helps reduce the travel radius and lower carbon emissions. "The delivery model involves a BigBasket storage facility within 5 km of the apartment complex. All orders for the community are routed through this facility. The drones, operated by Skye Air, have received DGCA approval, and the entire system is integrated for real-time tracking of drone movements," Avinash HV, Bengaluru Apartment Federation south president and Prestige Falcon City Resident Welfare Association (RWA) member told Also Read: How will Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill impact the real estate sector in the IT capital? In this case, deliveries are handled by a dedicated staff member stationed within the Falcon City project, who receives drone packages and ensures smooth handovers to residents. Orders weighing under 7kg are eligible for drone delivery, and the system can either batch multiple orders or send them individually, depending on demand. The drones do not have any cameras, making them neighbourhood-friendly, and they operate with satellite connectivity. 'Each delivery takes just 5 to 10 minutes, and service runs from 7 AM to 8 PM daily. Importantly, the cost to the customer remains unchanged,' Avinash said. "Our main objectives are to ensure faster service, improve efficiency, and reduce traffic congestion within the gated community, which previously saw multiple delivery partners making repeated trips." Skye Air Mobility, the drone logistics company, plans to extend its quick commerce drone delivery service to at least 20 more housing societies over the next three months. The move aims to enhance doorstep delivery speed and efficiency through aerial logistics. 'We are currently handling 40–50 orders daily, and in quick commerce, speed is everything. Our batching system boosts efficiency,' Ankit Kumar, founder and CEO of Skye Air Mobility, told He said that the company is eyeing expansion into key Bengaluru neighbourhoods such as Jayanagar, Bannerghatta Road, and the IT hub of Electronic City. To support this growth, Skye Air is developing a dedicated Skye Pod Network—specialised infrastructure that allows residential societies to receive drone deliveries directly. Currently, Skye Air operates with two drones but plans to deploy 25–30 drones to cover demand to meet the expansion targets. Also Read: Bengaluru real estate: If your apartment's value has doubled, is it time to cash out now? 'A delivery rider typically manages 30 deliveries per day, earning about ₹800, while a drone can deliver 60 orders daily, effectively doubling efficiency,' Kumar explained. Additionally, drone delivery reduces the travel radius and carbon emissions. 'The aerial distance is nearly half of road routes, especially in traffic-heavy areas. We are looking to expand the delivery radius of dark stores from 1.8 km to 5 km in future, reducing the need for more dark store infrastructure and saving both capex and opex,' he said. The operations rely on 3D-mapped, designated flight corridors and coordination with agencies like Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The company currently flies in green and yellow zones, with necessary approvals from government agencies where applicable, he explained. Also Read: Bengaluru real estate: One month's rent for a fresh coat of paint now the norm in the IT Capital's rental market Real estate experts say that while the idea of drone-based deliveries in quick commerce is exciting, its large-scale application across urban residential developments is still nascent. "Regulatory clarity from both central and state authorities is crucial, as the use of drones in public zones currently lacks a comprehensive policy framework. Infrastructure, safety, and airspace coordination remain key concerns. Some gated communities may adopt drones in pilot phases, but at present, this remains experimental," Gulam Zia, senior executive director, Knight Frank India, said. From a real estate perspective, its impact is minimal in the immediate term. Meaningful integration can only emerge once policies, infrastructure, and operational models are clearly established, he added. Kumar acknowledged regulatory hurdles. 'While we get airspace approvals from civil aviation authorities, one of the biggest challenges is dealing with ground-level enforcement, like informing local police under Drone Rules 2021. Navigating these local complexities is a crucial part of scaling,' he said. Despite challenges, Kumar believes drone delivery will not fully replace quick commerce logistics but will coexist and complement it, especially as automation increases and sustainability gains like reduced carbon emissions continue to drive adoption.
