In the next few years I plan to start up and own a Drone delivery business Based in the Scottish Highlands and Isles. The main aim of the business will be to transport items of up-to 25kg and a maximum of 30kg between the islands. Technology has advanced now that this is possible. I am to base myself on the Scottish Highlands when I retire, using a Dji Sky Cart 30 drone. Then as the business expands, extend the areas where the drone/s can fly too and from. The business can not only be used for general parcel delivery, but also for medical emergency delivery items like bloods and insulin etc etc. My choice of Drone, the DJI Skycart 30 can deliver a payload of 40kg with a single battery, or 30kg with dual batteries. Fully loaded with a payload of 30kg, the drone will fly approx 16km. Empty it will do 28km. However, mainly in both directions the drone will carry something, so it won’t be empty.
We all know about Scottish weather, well this drone is weather proof, temperature ranges of -20 Degrees C to 48 Degrees C. Plus rain and snow Resistant. So down time due to weather conditions is very limited. The drone can fly in winds of 12m/per second.
The drone is about 90kg fully laden, so is a big bit of equipment. Safety wise it has a number of dual systems incase of failure, plus a parachute system if needed. It has a parcel delivery box and also a winch system, to deploy in hard to land areas, such as ship decks etc.
With this technology there is a big cost. The drone with transmitter and winch system is about £23,000 at present. Add to this the monitoring of the delivery hub etc etc.
Next is training. Drone classification training for this type of drone is the highest, so flight training hours etc etc is as you would except is long.
From my point of view I have an old commercial pilots licence for drone flying (pfco), that has now lapsed, I had this as I had a drone aerial photography business in the past. So can draw on this. I have had about 6 drones in the past, ranging from a Dji inspire one to a Dji mini 3 that I use now, I am taking this to Scotland next week. Feb 25.
Cost of the training including time off will be about £5,000 plus insurances.
My plan is to in the next 6 months or so, February 25 to September 25 is to gain all the qualifications needed then to purchase the drone and to get familiar with the operating system.
Now in real world scenario, the flight and maximum distance of the drone will mean, to do this, take off will need to be close to the Sea or shore line. So for each trip out the delivery platform for the drone/s will need to be mobile. There are a number of options for this in the early days, maybe such as a motor home and or trailer. I am using my family trip to Scotland in feb 25 and again in March 25 to work this out. Finding out delivery routes, and possible landing and take off areas. Also there may be a need to have a second person at the delivery end, to reload the drone and also maybe change the batteries. So maybe 2x mobile bases will be need.
if anyone out there has a possible scenario for this platform let me know. Legal only.
I have some of my own funding but would like to top that up as much as possible.
I feel that total cost would be about £100,000. This would include the drone, two sets of batteries, 2x controllers, charging battery bank, motor home under 3.5 tonne, plus a box trailer if needed. Plus trading for a second operative on the island if needed.
My 1st photo is my 1st drone I made in about 2008