NEW DELHI: Private airline company SpiceJet has received formal approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to conduct drone trials. Post trials and approvals, SpiceXpress, the cargo arm of SpiceJet, plans to use drones to provide for a quicker, faster and a cost-effective delivery of medical, pharma and essential supplies and e-commerce products, the carrier said.
Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet, said, “Testing of drone technology for last mile connectivity and cost-effective cargo deliveries are a big leap in the air transportation of essential and non-essential supplies in India. We are extremely optimistic about using this exciting new mode of delivery for products like perishables and medicines which have a smaller shelf-life and need urgent deliveries in the remotest parts of India.”
A SpiceXpress-led consortium had submitted a proposal to the regulator for conducting experimental Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations of remotely piloted aircraft in response to a DGCA notice inviting Expressions of Interest. The consortium includes Throttle Aerospace, a drone manufacturing company, AeoLogic, an analytics and software solution firm and Involia, which is a provider of air traffic awareness and collision avoidance services.
Ever since the lockdown began, SpiceJet has significantly expanded its cargo operations. Recently it converted three of its Bombardier Q400 passenger aircraft into freighters and added African and South East Asian nations to its international cargo network. SpiceJet has transported over 12,298 tons of cargo on more than 1,728 flights since the nation-wide lockdown began.
The move to expand cargo operations and rapidly foray into drone delivery comes at a time when passenger flight services have taken a big hit because of the Covid-19 pandemic.