Project Wing: Google's drone delivery project

Meet Google’s project Wing. A secret(?) drone program that’s been running for two years at Google X. Project Wing’s official existence and substance were revealed in the end of August 2014. The project Wing comes from the same division that is also responsible for the self-driving car, and Project Loon. Remember that is the project which builds balloons to bring the internet to remote corners of the world.

Wing is about 1.5metres (5ft) in length. It’s capable of horizontal flight at speed, and is able to hover vertically to drop packages on a tether. The vehicle weighs only 8.5kg (18.7lb) and can carry packages weighing up to 1.5kg (3.3lb). Test flights (see embedded movie) are being made in Australia because here is regulation for drones more relaxed. Wing has already delivered several products like snack and food for animals. Well let’s be honest in Australia this is much easier then in crowded cities.

Google foresees an important role for drones after disasters. Trucks with goods for help goods go as far as they could and the rest of the distance towards victims could be done by autonomous drones. So it will be much easier and cheaper to deliver goods like medicines to people in remote areas or areas hit by disaster.

We see a lot of innovations within the field of transport like several drones, hoverbikes and tubes. It will still take a while before we see our skies filled with drones or other autonomous vehicles. But they are coming and much sooner than you think.