Amid the influx of drone and artificial intelligence technologies, a local logistics and drone package delivery service company is making big moves both in Dayton and nationally.
Woman-owned business Drone Express is expanding its pilot programs with major companies around the country amid expansion efforts in preparation for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification.
Drone Express CEO Beth Flippo recently spoke with the DBJ to discuss what the company has planned for this year and beyond.
Papa John’s and other pilot programs
Drone Express currently is in a testing period with major pizza chain Papa John’s Pizza at their base of operations in Atlanta, Georgia. The pilot program’s trial period has helped the pizza company with a lack of delivery drivers and uptick in gas costs.
Within their current pilot program with Papa John's, due to safety requirements, a pilot is required to be present at the point of contact for the delivery. However, Flippo said they are working with a software company to further develop drone artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities with a goal of completely autonomous, unmanned deliveries in the future.
Flippo said after the trial, Papa John's is letting the drone service select the locations for future delivery.
“Dayton is our home,” Flippo said. “We’re hoping that the next place we can do it is here.”
Although an official timeline has yet to be set, Flippo said the company hopes to have Papa John’s pizzas in Dayton skies sometime this year.
This is not the first big company Drone Express has taken to the skies with. In May of 2021, the drone service partnered with Kroger for a pilot program. While originally scheduled for three months, Flippo said Kroger’s success and satisfaction extended the trial to eight months and is now on pause until further notice.
Additionally, Flippo said Drone Express is working with a handful of companies in a wide range of industries on establishing their own pilot programs.
“Until we get our certificates from the FAA, this is our time to learn and see all the uses,” Flippo said.
Flippo said her team was surprised by the influx of calls from various industries, with each one having a different spin on how to utilize drone delivery.
FAA Certifications and pilot training program
Drone Express currently is working with the FAA on three drone package delivery certifications:
- Air carrier and operator certificate (14 CFR Part 135) – Enables small drones to carry another company’s property for compensation beyond visual line of sight.
- Type certification (14 CFR 21.17(B)) – Approves the design of their aircraft and all components in compliance with applicable airworthiness, noise and other standards.
- Production certificate (14 CFR 21-43) – Approves manufacturing duplicate products under an FAA-approved type design.
Flippo said Drone Express is one of 10 companies close to getting a type certification on a drone in the U.S. among major companies like Amazon and Google.
In its final stages of certification, Flippo said the company now needs to complete the transformation of its 7,500-square-foot factory in Monroe to meet FAA aircraft production standards in mass, having remade its drones to match requirements. She anticipates they will receive certification within the next few months.
Flippo said contrary to popular belief, the FAA is a big proponent for drones and Drone Express’ success in pushing toward certification has come from their dedication to operating drones in-house rather than selling them as a product.
“There's nobody that we speak to that doesn't know drone delivery is coming,” Flippo said. “You can't add more trucks to the road. We really see that the future is going to be soon and we're just excited to be a part of it.”
In preparation for official certification, trial programs and future growth, Drone Express recently partnered with the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma to create a flight training program for their drone pilots.
Flippo said the pilot training program will allow pilots to learn necessary skills over a two-week period through various simulations at a facility in Atoka, Oklahoma. Pilots will then take their skills to form teams in various locations as the company grows.
Drone Express, a division of Telegrid, this month moved into its 6,000-square-foot headquarters in Dayton at 123 Webster St. in the Firefly Building near the Day Air Ballpark. The company, founded in 2019, currently employs 50 workers and passed its first seed round in November of 2021, raising $5 million.
