Latest news with #foodDelivery
Daily Mail
35 minutes ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Now THAT'S what you call fast food! Deliveroo launches a drone delivery service - with takeaways delivered in as little as three minutes
The next time you order a takeaway, it might be flown directly to your door. Today, Deliveroo has launched its first drone delivery service for customers in Ireland. Drones travelling at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour (80 kph) will carry food from restaurants to customers in as little as three minutes. Upon arrival, the drone will hover above the customer's home and gently lower the food to the ground on a tether before returning to the delivery hub. Launching in Blanchardstown, on the outskirts of Dublin, the trial will cover a 1.8-mile (3km) radius, reaching up to 150,000 people. The weeks-long trial will be used to assess whether drone services are a good option for suburban and hard-to-reach areas. Currently, drone delivery will only be available for select local restaurants, but Deliveroo hopes to offer grocery and retail deliveries within the next six months. Carlo Mocci, Chief Business Officer at Deliveroo says: 'Our mission is to bring local neighbourhood favourites to as many people's doors as possible, and constantly raise the bar on the experience and service we provide - so I'm thrilled to launch drone deliveries in Dublin today.' In order to get food delivered by a drone, customers in the eligible radius will first need to validate their address via the app to confirm a suitable location for drop-off. This will need to be an open area without any overhead obstructions such as a driveway or garden. Once the order is placed, customers will be able to track their delivery as usual and will be notified once the drone is nearby so they can collect the order. The company says there will be no additional fees for either the partner restaurants or customers using drone options and Deliveroo Plus members will still be eligible for free delivery while using the service. The drone services themselves will be provided by Manna, an Irish drone delivery startup founded in 2018. Since securing regulatory approval, Manna has already made 170,000 delivery flights in the trial area and has partnerships with rival food delivery firms Just Eat and Doordash. Each drone weighs 23kg and has room for 4kg of cargo, enough to carry four large takeaway pizzas with room to spare. Although the drones have eight propellers powered by aerospace-grade motors, Manna says that they can safely fly with just four in case of an emergency. The drones will be provided by drone delivery startup Manna. They are capable of travelling up to 50 miles per hour (80 kmph), reaching customers in as little as three minutes The drones are also equipped with a number of other safety features including backup systems and a parachute. The drones are launched from a delivery hub where Manna employees charge the drones and load the customer's orders ahead of launch. Once the drones set off, they fly autonomously to the customer's address but are monitored by a dispatcher throughout the flight. When the drone reaches the agreed drop-off location, the dispatcher uses the onboard cameras to ensure the ground is clear of people or cars before dropping the delivery. According to Deliveroo, switching from cars and bikes to drones will allow their deliveries to avoid congestion on the ground. That should make deliveries faster and more energy efficient, especially in suburban areas where delivery is more time-consuming. In the future, Deliveroo says it would like to expand this service to other markets such as the UK, but this will depend on regulations. Currently, drones in the UK can't be flown beyond their operator's line of sight - making autonomous delivery services impossible. However, the government recently announced a £20 million investment in commercial drone technology alongside the promise of regulatory reform. New rules could support the launch of flying taxis in the UK by 2028 with legislation for beyond-line-of-sight drones coming as soon as 2026. While the initial rules are only expected to cover exceptional areas such as open water, this has raised hopes for more drone delivery options in the UK. Last month, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said that easier drone delivery trials would be one of 60 measures intended to reduce bureaucracy. Recently, Amazon revealed that Darlington, County Durham will be the first UK town to see parcels delivered by drone as part of a trial of Amazon Prime Air. However, the Civil Aviation Authority has still to come up with rules on how commercial drones can safely be used for deliveries. Amazon acknowledged there was still much work to do but said it was 'ready and excited'. 'We have built safe and reliable drone delivery services elsewhere in the world in close relationship with regulators and the communities we serve, and we are working to do the same in the UK,' it said in a statement. Delivery firms are pioneering a host of new technologies to tackle the last mile of deliveries. It is hoped the vehicles can cut the inefficiencies, and hence costs, of the final stage of delivery, in which packages are taken from a central hub to your door. Amazon envisions making last mile deliveries with an army of autonomous drones that drop packages on your doorstep. Amazon has billed the service 'Prime Air' and claims the drones will increase the overall safety and efficiency of its transport system. Just one pilot could oversee several of the drones at once, meaning the firm could someday pay fewer people to make the same number of deliveries. Another company, Starship Technologies, envisions its autonomous delivery service using land-based robots. Each six-wheeled 'ground drone' is almost completely self-driving, and is constantly connected to the internet, using GPS to find its destination. Walking on the pavement at about 4mph (3km/h), robots can complete local deliveries within five to 30 minutes from a local hub or retail outlet. Self-driving cars are another last mile option being considered by some delivery companies. Supermarket operator Kroger is testing a fleet of self-driving grocery cars that can carry as many as ten bags of shopping to your door. Customers can order groceries via Kroger's website or mobile app and select same-day or next-day delivery. Customers who take advantage of Kroger's driverless grocery delivery system will still have to walk to the curb outside their house to retrieve the groceries.
Washington Post
a day ago
- General
- Washington Post
Town official claims self-defense in shooting of DoorDash driver in New York
An upstate New York town official accused of shooting and wounding a food delivery person says he was protecting his family and has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and other charges. Ring doorbell camera footage shows John Reilly III, the highway superintendent in Chester, a town nearly 60 miles (96 kilometers) north of Manhattan, shooting at the DoorDash driver's car on May 2 as the person was trying to leave Reilly's property. Prosecutors allege the shooting was unprovoked, saying the driver was lost and his cellphone battery was dead, as he only tried to see if Reilly had ordered the food he was trying to deliver.
Associated Press
a day ago
- General
- Associated Press
Town official claims self-defense in shooting of DoorDash driver in New York
An upstate New York town official accused of shooting and wounding a food delivery person says he was protecting his family and has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and other charges. Ring doorbell camera footage shows John Reilly III, the highway superintendent in Chester, a town nearly 60 miles (96 kilometers) north of Manhattan, shooting at the DoorDash driver's car on May 2 as the person was trying to leave Reilly's property. Prosecutors allege the shooting was unprovoked, saying the driver was lost and his cellphone battery was dead, as he only tried to see if Reilly had ordered the food he was trying to deliver. But Reilly's lawyer, Thomas Kenniff, said in a phone interview Tuesday that Reilly, worried about a home invasion, was defending his family after the driver insisted on entering his home. Reilly pleaded not guilty Monday during an appearance at the Orange County courthouse in Goshen. The charges also include first-degree assault and weapons crimes. He did not comment while leaving the courthouse and remains free on bail. Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler called the shooting a 'horrifying' act of violence. The driver, who authorities have not named, was shot in the back and seriously wounded. Video clips from Reilly's Ring doorbell camera, obtained by TV station News 12 and the Times Union, show the series of events. One clip shows the driver walking up to Reilly's front door with a plastic bag and ringing the doorbell. Another, from a short time later, appears to show the driver back in his car and Reilly exiting his house with a handgun. Reilly then fires a shot into his front lawn while saying, 'Go.' The video then shows Reilly shooting at the car as the driver is making a three-point turn in the driveway. He fires a third shot as the car is driving away. Kenniff said the videos do not tell the full story. Kenniff said Reilly's 12-year-old daughter woke him up after the driver rang the doorbell and he answered the door, telling the driver he didn't order any food. The driver, who was not wearing anything indicating he was from DoorDash, insisted on coming into the house to charge his phone, Kenniff said. 'My client, I think quite reasonably given the rash of home invasion robberies locally and around the country ... tells the gentleman to leave and advises that he's going to get a gun that he uses for home protection, as a lot of people in rural areas justifiably do,' Kenniff said. Kenniff said Reilly fired shots in an attempt to get the driver to leave his property and didn't intend to harm the man. 'I think that this was a situation where my client reasonably believed that there was a threat and he took actions to try to protect his home and protect his family, and unfortunately there may have been unintended consequences,' Kenniff said. Kenniff and his firm also represented Daniel Penny, a U.S. Marine veteran who was acquitted of criminally negligent homicide in December in connection with the chokehold death of a mentally ill man on a New York City subway in 2023. Police executed a search warrant at Reilly's house and seized eight illegally possessed guns, including the .45-caliber handgun used to shoot the driver, Hoovler said. While Reilly had a federal license to sell firearms, he did not have a New York state firearms license or pistol permit, making his possession of the guns illegal, Hoovler said. 'The unprovoked violence alleged in this case is truly horrifying,' Hoovler said in a statement. Reilly is due back in court on July 2.
Arab News
a day ago
- Business
- Arab News
Municipalities Ministry launches home delivery permit service, effective July 1
RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Municipalities and Housing launched the Home Delivery Permit service for food and non-food delivery establishments via the Balady platform, Saudi Press Agency reported Tuesday. This initiative supports ongoing efforts to enhance the quality of life and elevate safety and compliance standards within the delivery sector across the Kingdom. The delivery service aims to regulate delivery operations within cities by ensuring establishments comply with health and technical requirements, thereby contributing to a safe and efficient environment that enhances consumer confidence. The requirements for the permit include obtaining a health certificate for all home delivery service workers, securing approval from the authority supervising the commercial activity, clearly displaying the establishment's name or trademark on delivery vehicles, and ensuring these vehicles comply with the technical and health standards necessary for safe product transportation. The ministry explained that mandatory enforcement of license issuance will begin on July 1, 2025. Municipalities will carry out field inspections to ensure compliance and will take regulatory action against violators. Business owners can apply for the home delivery permit through the Balady platform by visiting: This initiative is part of the ministry's broader efforts to develop the regulatory framework for the services sector and to ensure the provision of safe delivery services, in line with the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030. Last month, the ministry announced the launch of the Balady Plus app — an intelligent platform aimed at enhancing quality of life in Saudi cities and facilitating daily mobility for residents and visitors. According to the ministry, Balady Plus was developed by national talents to be more than just a navigation tool. It offers an interactive 3D map experience with precise local content that reflects the real landscape of Saudi cities and adapts to their changes in real time. The application features smart mobility services, including live updates on roads, locations, and services. It also supports indoor navigation in commercial centers, alerts users about speed bumps, obstacles, and road closures, and integrates data from government entities and the local community.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
The misery of being a delivery driver in Britain: Two-thirds of riders suffer ANXIETY over unfair bad reviews, study finds
If you use apps such as Deliveroo and Uber, you might want to think twice about giving the delivery driver a bad review. A new study by scientists at the University of Cambridge lays bear the misery of being a food delivery worker or ride-hailing driver in Britain. More than two-thirds of riders and drivers in UK's 'gig economy' suffer anxiety over long hours and bad ratings, the experts report. Meanwhile, three-quarters have anxiety over fears that their pay – typically below the UK minimum wage – is going to fall. Lead study author Dr Alex Wood from Cambridge's Department of Sociology said riders and drivers 'have little in the way of rights or bargaining power'. 'Delivery and ride-hailing platforms combine manual work with tight algorithmic management and digital surveillance,' he said. 'Platform companies call themselves tech firms, but in practice they govern, control and profit from labour they claim not to own, without bearing employer responsibility. 'If your job is at the mercy of a quick click on a stranger's phone, it is likely to fuel a constant hum of uncertainty and anxiety, along with feelings of being judged, monitored and replaceable.' In a survey workers, 65 per cent of riders and drivers reported feeling either fairly or very anxious over unexpected changes to working hours. Not all workers answered all the questions, hence there is some variation in the numbers of respondents The study focused on job quality in the UK's 'gig economy' – the labour market characterised by short-term contracts or freelance work, rather than permanent jobs. Gig economy workers operate as self-employed contractors who sign up for work on digital platforms such as Uber, Deliveroo, Amazon Flex and Upwork. These digital platforms typically match the workers with customers and pay a base rate per job, with higher rates at peak times or 'surges'. 'All manner of gig work has exploded in recent years, from delivering food to building websites,' said Dr Wood. 'Many of us now summon people and labour at the tap of a smartphone screen without much thought, rarely considering the process or the people behind it.' Between March and June 2022, Dr Wood and colleagues surveyed 510 gig economy workers in the UK about different feelings towards their role. Of the total, 257 were defined as 'local' platform workers – those tied to locations such as delivery riders for the likes of Deliveroo, Uber and Amazon Flex. The remaining 253 were 'remote' platform workers – whose labour is digital and so can remote work from anywhere, on platforms like Upwork and Fiverr. In all, 65 per cent of local workers reported feeling either 'fairly anxious' or 'very anxious' about future unexpected changes to working hours, compared with 40 per cent for remote workers. An even greater proportion of local workers – 74 per cent – were at all anxious about having less say over how their job is done, compared with 40 per cent for remote workers. Also, more local workers reported anxiety over the potential for pay to fall (75 per cent compared to 59 per cent of remote workers). And 64 per cent were anxious about it becoming more difficult for them to use their skills going forward – due to the fear of automation, for example – compared with 46 per cent for remote. Another part of the research uncovered 'very high' levels of insecurity among respondents in terms of feeling there was a chance of losing their ability to make a living and becoming unemployed as well as other types of work-related insecurity. For example, 68 per cent of local platform workers said they feared receiving 'unfair feedback that impacts their future income'. Just over half of local workers (51 per cent) said they risked physical health or safety, nearly five times higher than remote workers (11 per cent). And 43 per cent said they suffer physical pain resulting from work, compared with about 13 per cent for remote workers. When asked 'how often does your job involve working to tight deadlines?', 22 per cent of local workers responded 'all the time', compared with 4 per cent for remote workers Local workers also reported spending an average of 10 hours a week waiting for jobs to come through on the app, compared with four hours for remote workers. But regardless of how long they're doing this for, the gig economy experience means they logged on and technically working but not making any money, according to the researchers. However, they admit that gig economy workers have flexibility and a level of independence that permanent workers don't get. The study, published in the journal Work, Employment and Society, is the first to provide statistical data on job quality in the UK's 'gig economy'. 'Attempts to investigate working conditions in the UK gig economy have been hampered by the difficulty of identifying and accessing people doing the work,' said co-author Professor Brendan Burchell, sociologist at the University of Cambridge. 'Classifying someone as self-employed doesn't change the fact they can be economically dependent and exploited.' MailOnline has contacted Deliveroo and Uber for comment. In separate yet-to-be-published research, Cambridge University PhD candidate Jon White is conducting interviews with delivery drivers in Cambridge city centre. According to the findings, drivers are constantly pushing to earn enough to make end's meet to the detriment of their health Some working on multiple apps at the same time. One driver spoke of the need for a solid minimum pay rate: '…when it's busy on a rainy day, at that time they pay a really good fare. But sometimes when it's not busy, so that time fare is not enough for us because we go two miles, three miles and get a really low fare. So I think if they pay minimum every day, it will be really helpful for us.' Another driver described the pain in their body: '…especially in my thighs, all the time, ever since I started, I've never had a good sleep. Every day, I get home, just have to take a shower quickly after my body gets cold… and eat something then go to sleep because I can't do this work for a long time.' They say the long hours are down to low pay: 'Because I have to do my... a minimum every day so, I can at least pay my bills, right? Just to survive. I still have to pay rent, food, so... If I don't do this amount, this minimum in a day, I can't go home.'
