Latest news with #lastMileDelivery
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
The Irish-based company revolutionising rural deliveries with drones and robotic hubs
Etienne Louvet is the founder of Iona, a B2B company developing a high-tech delivery network that combines autonomous systems, robotics and drones to solve the problem of scattered delivery destinations and high-cost last-mile deliveries. Last-mile deliveries are often the most expensive part of any delivery service and a big overhead for logistics companies using conventional transport. Vans make sense for heavier loads taking direct routes. Drones make sense for lighter loads going to awkward or more remote places, and the Iona platform allows companies to integrate drone delivery into their existing fleets, thereby cutting costs, improving efficiency, reducing carbon emissions and gaining easier access to isolated and rural areas. The idea for Iona began to form in Louvet's mind during Covid when he was working on a paper about new delivery methods for autonomous logistics. What pushed him in the direction of drones, however, was seeing his 92-year-old grandmother struggling to get groceries and medication delivered to her home in rural France as the pandemic dragged on. 'Access to delivery is particularly crucial for rural residents and they need to be offered the same delivery price and the same goods as anyone else,' Louvet says. 'With Iona, logistics providers can turn last-mile into the most profitable segment while also expanding their capacity to offer additional services such as just-in-time and emergency deliveries.' READ MORE Louvet set up his company in London in 2021 but relocated to Ireland last year to overcome a number of challenges holding up its development including customs issues caused by Brexit and a desire to be closer to potential EU deeptech VCs, which are thin on the ground. Iona is based in Shannon with a berth at Dogpatch Labs in Dublin. The company employs 14 people. Investment to date is around €5 million, mainly from angel investors, and the company has been designated as a HPSU (high performance start-up) by Enterprise Ireland . Iona will make its money by charging customers a percentage on delivery revenues. Potential customers are logistics/delivery companies such as An Post or DHL and the Iona platform will travel internationally. One of the key features that differentiates Iona within its segment is its drones' ability to carry larger loads over longer distances – specifically, cargo of up to 20kg for distances of 100-200km. The company's patented Sonnet Quad drone (which Louvet says is a lot quieter than the short-hop delivery drones currently causing controversy in Dublin) features a tilt rotor for vertical take-off and landing and forward flight for hyper-efficiency. The unit itself is powered by batteries similar to those found on an e-bike and the highly specialised air frame is made in Galway. Iona's back office set-up comprises a robotics system that works in tandem with a series of strategically placed hubs to facilitate battery swaps and parcel dispatch, and an AI-powered digital infrastructure that underpins interactions with telecoms and fleet management systems, for example. 'We combine all of these elements into a white-label solution that will work for any delivery operator large or small. Indeed, companies can start with just one drone. We offer a very low break-even point per parcel so they can deliver anywhere and to everyone,' says Louvet, who adds that Sonnet Quad is uniquely optimised for rural last-mile logistics with a modular cargo bay and precise flight dynamics features that make it more efficient and adaptable than existing medical drones, suburban multi-copters or heavy-lifter unmanned aerial vehicles. Iona expects to go public with its technology in 2026 and as its drones will operate in Irish airspace they must meet the necessary safety and operational regulations. For this reason the drones are ultimately under the control of Iona as the certified operator. 'Flying autonomously and profitably in unsegregated airspace requires stringent regulatory approval, and our end-to-end platform is built around these requirements, allowing third party logistics operators to operate at scale confidently and cost-effectively,' Louvet says.
Al Bawaba
03-06-2025
- Business
- Al Bawaba
Flyby and noon Partner to Bring AdTech Innovation to Last-Mile Delivery
noon, the region's leading digital ecosystem of services and products, has partnered with Flyby to introduce a new mobile digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) medium in the last-mile delivery space. The collaboration brings data-driven, real-time digital advertising to noon's delivery fleet, giving advertisers new ways to reach consumers on the part of the rollout, Flyby's Smart Delivery Box will be deployed across noon's fleet — including noon Minutes and noon Food delivery bikes — turning these moving assets into a powerful, data-driven advertising platform. noon ads, already a leader in digital retail media, will now expand its offering to give advertisers a new way to reach audiences in high-impact urban partnership marks a significant step forward in Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising, positioning Flyby's mobile digital OOH solution as an addition to existing DOOH solutions. Unlike traditional Out-of-Home media, Flyby's Smart Delivery Boxes move through high-density urban areas, delivering hyper-localised ad placements at the right time, in the right Kamran, CEO, Flyby: 'We designed the Smart Delivery Box to create new value in last-mile delivery. With noon, we're proving that last-mile infrastructure can set a new standard for mobility and advertising in the region.'Fouad Aoun, GM of New Ventures, noon: 'We're constantly seeking innovative ways to bring value to our brands and sellers. Flyby's Smart Delivery Boxes allow us to expand our media network while ensuring that our advertisers get real-time, highly targeted exposure in ways that haven't been possible before.'Flyby's Smart Delivery Box has attracted growing interest across the region from aggregators and advertisers alike. Brands and media buyers looking for dynamic, data-backed audience engagement will benefit from this collaboration, which leverages noon's extensive reach and Flyby's innovative combining noon's deep advertiser relationships with Flyby's cutting-edge AdTech, brands now have access to:Advertising Where Static OOH Can't Reach: Mobile digital ads on noon's fleet capture urban audiences Reach: Advertisers can target by location, date, and time, ensuring relevance and Insights: Brands receive reports on exposure and impressions, Seamless Creative Execution: Advertisers don't need to worry about production or execution complexities. noon and Flyby offer end-to-end creative support — from adapting assets to digital formats to deploying them on the mutually beneficial model not only enhances the impact of noon ads' media offering but also reinforces noon's vision of digitising its fleet and unlocking new revenue streams while providing advertisers with an unmatched level of flexibility and efficiency in their campaigns. As Flyby and noon continue to push the boundaries of innovation, a new era where delivery fleets become a key pillar in the advertising economy has started. Advertisers and brands interested in future rollout phases are encouraged to register their interest before regional availability is fully committed.
Globe and Mail
07-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Logistics Stock Finds Premarket Success Following Strategic Partnership Announcement
A China-based logistics company is turning heads already during Wednesday's premarket hours after it was announced that the company has reached a strategic partnership with Soradynamics Inc., introducing an innovative in-vehicle drone logistics system to reshape the last mile delivery in the United States, according to a release from this morning. Traders rushed to snatch up shares of New Century Logistics (BVI) Limited (Nasdaq:NCEW), with the micro cap currently bid up at $3.50/share (+56.95% implied open for sellers) at the time of writing. This move will be a massive continuation of the success this tock has had since March. New Century Logistics is a well-established freight forwarding service provider founded and based in Hong Kong. We provide air and ocean export and import freight forwarding services ranging from the sale of cargo space, cargo pick up, off-airport air cargo security screening, palletization, preparation of shipping documentation, arrangement of customs clearance to cargo handling at ports. Since our inception, we have offered routes to over 140 countries to our customers. We have a robust network that works closely with well-established agents to manage both incoming and outgoing traffic for all other nations as well. These representatives are handpicked to maintain a uniformly high standard of service for our clients all across the world. Copyright © 2025 All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. View more of this article on About Media, Inc.: Founded in 1999, is one of North America's leading platforms for micro-cap insights. Catering to both Canadian and U.S. markets, we provide a wealth of resources and expert content designed for everyone—from beginner investors to seasoned traders. is rapidly gaining recognition as a leading authority in the micro-cap space, with our insightful content prominently featured across numerous top-tier financial platforms, reaching a broad audience of investors and industry professionals. Want to showcase your company's story to a powerful network of investors? We can help you elevate your message and make a lasting impact. Contact us today. Contact: Media, Inc.
