Chunghwa Post yesterday for the first time used an uncrewed aerial vehicle to deliver mail and medical supplies to an indigenous village in Hsinchu County.
The state-run postal firm said that the trial was conducted in accordance with a government policy to use drones in delivery services.
“We will consider using drones to deliver critical supplies to people when postal routes are disrupted by natural disasters, provided that such service is technically feasible,” the company said. “This would also present a solution for last-mile delivery in smart logistics.”
Photo: Chen Hsin-yu, Taipei Times
The drone took off from a square in front of the Jianshi (尖石) Township Office and delivered a 25kg parcel to the Atayal village of Smangus.
The parcel contained mail, masks and rapid COVID-19 test kits, the company said.
The trial was designed to test whether drones can safely deliver supplies that are urgently needed by people on a fixed flight route, Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) said at the launch ceremony.
“The plan was to have the drone fly about 21.2km over terrain with an altitude difference of 1,580m. Prior to yesterday’s trial, flight safety was verified through 65 flight hours, and 700 takeoffs and landings. The success of the trial is indeed a milestone,” Wang said.
The trial was the result of a partnership between Chunghwa Post and Coretronic Intelligent Robotics Corp, Chunghwa Post president Chiang Rui-tang (江瑞堂) said.
“It proved that drones can fly over hills and valleys with guidance from an automatic flight control system,” Chang said.
“This has created a new logistics service model, particularly in serving residents in remote villages,” he added.
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