Tag: delivery
Zipline Unveils P2 Delivery Drones That Dock and Recharge Autonomously
To deliver cargo to a customer’s door, the P2 Zip hovers around 300 feet above ground level and dispatches a kind of mini-aircraft and container called the “droid.” The droid descends on a long thin tether, and maneuvers quietly into place with fan-like thrusters before setting down for package retrieval. Zipline’s original P1 drones will remain in production and in wide use, says Rinaudo Cliffton. The P1 Zip can fly a longer distance, delivering up to five pounds of cargo within a 60-mile radius, but it requires a larger space for take off, landings and “the drop.”
The P1 Zip lets cargo down with a parachute attached, so its payload lands within a space about the size of two car parking spots. After a P1 Zip returns to base, an employee needs to disassemble it, then set up a new one, dropping in a freshly charged battery for the next flight. Zipline’s new P2 Zip can dock and power up autonomously at a charging station that looks something like a street lamp with an arm and a large disc attached to that arm. Zipline docks can be installed in a single parking spot or alongside a building depending on zoning and permits.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
India’s HealthPlix raises $22M to accelerate growth and enhance healthcare delivery
HealthPlix, an Indian startup offering its in-house platform for doctors to help record patient data digitally, has raised $22 million in fresh investment to broaden its reach in the country and allow more doctors to utilize its software to offer improved care to their patients. In India, roughly 300,000 doctors practice medicine regularly. However, this […]
India’s HealthPlix raises $22M to accelerate growth and enhance healthcare delivery by Jagmeet Singh originally published on TechCrunch
Rivian’s electric delivery vans could soon be available to companies other than Amazon
Rivian’s electric delivery van might not be Amazon-exclusive for much longer. The Wall Street Journalsources claim Rivian is in talks with Amazon to end the exclusivity portion of their 2019 purchase agreement. The EV maker is reportedly unhappy that Amazon ordered 10,000 vans this year, at the low end of a previously mentioned range. The termination would let Rivian boost its sales by courting other customers.
The exact terms of the proposed changes aren’t available. The talks are continuing, the sources say.
We’ve asked Rivian for comment. An Amazon spokesperson tells Engadget Rivian is still an “important partner” and that it still expects to buy 100,000 vans by 2030. The deal hasn’t changed, the company adds. At the same time, the representative says Amazon wants “others to benefit” from Rivian technology, as having more electric delivery vehicles in service ultimately helps everyone.
The Amazon pact remains important for Rivian’s finances. The vans currently represent one third of Rivian’s production volume, and are helping to bolster manufacturing numbers that are still tiny compared to rivals like Tesla. Rivian only made 24,337 vehicles in 2022. Larger van orders would significantly expand the company’s output and provide greater financial stability while the firm ramps up sales of its R1S SUV and R1T pickup, and works on its more affordable R2 line.
Rivian still has a large cash reserve thanks in part to Amazon’s large investment in the EV startup. However, it’s still struggling to reach profitability and has engaged in two rounds of layoffs over the past year to address a tough economy, rising costs and shrinking access to funds. There’s pressure on the company to avoid future cutbacks, and improved sales will help on that front.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/rivians-electric-delivery-vans-could-soon-be-available-to-companies-other-than-amazon-164958066.html?src=rss
Wing Debuts a Rideshare-Style Drone Delivery Network
The technology is also meant to scale elegantly. It’s relatively easy to add new pad locations as usage grows, and the drones can double as scouts that expand the network. The drones can even make sure they’re allowed to fly in a given area. Wing expects “elements” of the Delivery Network to deploy over the next year, with demonstrations taking place worldwide in 2023. Provided all goes according to plan, the brand wants to handle “millions” of deliveries by mid-2024, at prices that beat conventional ground-based delivery.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Lucid shares drop as EV maker misses 2023 delivery expectations
Luxury electric vehicle maker Lucid Motors missed Wall Street estimates for fourth-quarter and full-year 2022 revenue, as well as 2023 production and delivery goals, causing the company’s stock price to tumble almost 10% in after-hours trading. That’s a particularly rough outcome for a company that’s been battling supply chain issues and has had to slash […]
Lucid shares drop as EV maker misses 2023 delivery expectations by Rebecca Bellan originally published on TechCrunch
US Navy takes delivery of ship that can operate autonomously for up to 30 days
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Amazon Fresh will soon require a minimum order of over $150 for free delivery
At the moment, Amazon Prime customers can enjoy free grocery delivery via the company’s Fresh service for checkouts worth $35 and above. It’s a reasonable and pretty affordable minimum purchase requirement, even for those live alone. But starting on February 28th, people would have to add a lot more items to their cart if they don’t want to pay extra to get their order delivered to their doorstep. As The Verge has noticed, the e-commerce giant has updated its Fresh grocery page to note that only orders worth above $150 will be delivered for free within a two-hour window by the end of next month.
Amazon will deliver orders between $100 and $150 for $4, while orders between $50 and $100 will incur a $7 service charge. If a customer’s items come up to less than $50, they’ll have to pay a whopping $10. Since the Fresh service is only available to subscribers already paying for Amazon Prime, which raised its annual fee to $139 from $119 last year, it will become a much pricier option by the time March arrives.
A company spokesperson told The Verge that it’s “introducing a service fee on some Amazon Fresh delivery orders to help keep prices low in [its] online and physical grocery stores as [it] better cover[s] grocery delivery costs and continue to enable offering a consistent, fast, and high-quality delivery experience.” The spokesperson continued: “We will continue to offer convenient two-hour delivery windows for all orders, and customers in some areas will be able to select a longer delivery window for a reduced fee.”
Based on that statement, Amazon could jack up grocery prices if it doesn’t charge delivery fees. But as it is, customers will end up paying more anyway — a lot of people can’t afford its $150 minimum requirement these days, and those who can may not be able to consume everything they bought before they go bad or are no longer, well, fresh. Amazon has started notifying customers via email about the new service fees, and some social media users are pointing out how outrageous the price jump is to get free delivery.
Customers have come to rely on Amazon Fresh for grocery deliveries when the pandemic started, including folks on the government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program. People who have SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) debit cards can order via Fresh even without a Prime subscription, making it a good (and in some cases, the only) option for people with disabilities. But now they’d have to pay extra on top of their purchase. According to Amazon’s website, they can’t even use their EBT cards to pay for the shipping fee and will have to provide another form of payment.
“Customers with an EBT card will continue to receive free grocery delivery on orders more than $150.”
Uh, the average benefit a single person gets is only $197 *FOR THE ENTIRE MONTH*. This price-hike for delivery fees is going to hurt low-income disabled folks horribly.
— Megan E. Doherty, PhD (@MeganEDoherty) January 27, 2023