Hot pizza will soon be drone-delivered to doorsteps in the Waikato town of Huntly.
In a New Zealand-first, the American company SkyDrop is launching a “store-to-door” drone delivery trial from Domino's Huntly in the next couple of months.
District councillor David Whyte likes to think his Waikato town was chosen because it's awesome but he says, according to the local "rumour mill", it might have more to do with accessibility.
"Waikato Te Awa [Waikato River] backs onto Domino's on Main Street so drones can get a clear flight path in and out of the store," Whyte tells Corin Dann.
Photo: The Nix Company / Unsplash
New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority has decreed that the Domino's-carrying drones can fly no higher than 400 feet and only during the day.
It will be interesting to see how the townspeople respond to these tiny new aircraft over their streets, Whyte says.
"We consider the sound of people driving down the road pretty normal. So whether we adapt to the sound of drones flying overhead as the new normal, I don't know.
"The teenagers in town are already discussing who's going to be the first to capture a drone and put it in their bedroom. I'm sure the company has thought through these things but it'll be interesting to see how [it plays out]."
Asked if Huntly-ites are especially hungry when it comes to pizza, Whyte demurs.
"Dominos is always busy in Huntly when you drive past so there's obviously a clear demand for that."
