By Drone Trainer Podcast
Welcome to episode 59 of The Drone Trainer Podcast! This week we’re going to discuss drone delivery with Ryan Walsh, CEO of Valqari based in Chicago. Check this episode out and subscribe on iTunes or Google Play so that you don’t miss this or any of the future podcast episodes!
Ryan Walsh is the CEO of Valqari, a drone delivery solution based in Chicago, Illinois. Ryan and his team have developed a drone delivery solution to solve the last mile or last meter problem. I have to admit, before speaking with Ryan today, I had been very skeptical of drone delivery as a whole. I could predict it’s success in rural environments, but the urban environment was where I predicted it would be difficult to impossible. Now after speaking with Ryan, I have a different outlook on drone delivery as a whole, and think that we’re going to be there sooner than I or many expected!
The key to Valqari’s success isn’t flying drones beyond visual line of sight, or navigating between distribution centre to the general delivery area, but rather the last few inches of delivery. Ryan and his team have developed a mailbox receiver system to “handshake” with the drone, and ensure a safe and successful delivery. Since his team isn’t spending time on the other aspects of flight, they are mastering the close proximity last few inches of drone delivery, and their solution works with both DJI and PX4 powered drones. In addition to those systems, Valqari has also developed their own drones.