With the pandemic due to Covid-19, the activities of the company Starship Technologies specializing in the delivery of food through a fleet of autonomous robots has grown significantly.
Starship Technologies, a company founded in 2014 by the co-founders of Skype Ahti Heinla and Janus Friis, specialized in the construction and marketing of autonomous robot fleets used to transport small objects (up to 9 kg) and perishable foods, following the Covid-19 pandemic, which forced traditional restaurants to close, resulting in the expansion of contactless deliveries, is accelerating its growth.
FIRST IN THE USA – After launching the food delivery service through its fleet of 30 autonomous robots in Tempe, Arizona, which operates daily from 10:30 to 20:30 in a small area near Arizona State University, added the service to Washington DC in late March, and expanded to Irvine, California, also expanding its service area in Milton Keynes, UK, where it has been operating since 2018.
HOW IT WORKS – Operation is very simple: users place the order through the Starship Deliveries application, marking the point of delivery. Once the robot reaches its destination (progress can be observed through an interactive map), users receive an alert and can then unlock the compartment to be able to access the goods through the app. The robots, which can cross the roads, climb the curbs, travel at night and operate both in the rain and in the snow, are monitored remotely by the Starship (in case of need, human operators can take control of the robots).
EXPANSION – The company last August announced a $40 million loan and has an expansion plan that will extend the service to 100 universities by the end of the summer of 2021.
