- Drone deliveries are becoming more and more ambitious
- A new South Korean test delivered fried chicken to a remote island
- It is one of 80 tests carried out during the last month.
Drone delivery programs are becoming smarter and more ambitious: a test plan in South Korea successfully delivered an order of fried chicken to a customer on the remote island of Biyang, using a drone and an autonomous four-wheeled robot.
The delivery drone traveled more than three kilometers (1.86 miles) of ocean to reach its destination and transfer its delicious cargo, The Korea Times reports. There is no indication of the actual taste of the takeaway, but the “local resident” involved made no complaints.
This is part of an extensive test conducted by the Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) and the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), backed by the South Korean government. Around 80 such deliveries were completed in the last month.
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And Biyang Island is a particularly suitable challenge for this autonomous delivery technology. Not only is the location remote, but it also features narrow alleys winding through the volcanic island, which traditional delivery vehicles would struggle with.
Ready to replace existing logistics
✔️드론과 자율주행 로봇 협업의’문 앞 배송 서비스’ 제주 금능포구~비양도 일대에서 현logging 테스트 수행!📦 최대 40kg 화물을 실은 드론이배송지 인근까지 비행하면,🤖 로봇이 #KASA #우주항공청 #한국전자통신연구원 #드론배송 #로봇배송 #제주도 pic.twitter.com/fXaV4e3LDlApril 24, 2026
While commercial drones typically carry payloads weighing around three kilograms, the flying machines tested here can hold up to 40 kilograms, meaning many items can be packaged and shipped together in a single delivery.
“It is rare to repeatedly test high payload deliveries under such varied conditions,” KASA said, according to the Korea Times report. “This technology is reaching a level where it can replace everyday logistics operations.”
However, there is still much work to be done: commercial services will not be ready for another five years, as the technology develops further and concerns about privacy and security are resolved with regulators.
Even if it’s not ready for the masses yet, it’s an exciting glimpse into the future of drone-robot deliveries, with the technology advancing rapidly, and it’s those in the most remote and hard-to-reach locations who will benefit the most.
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