behind the scenes of drone food delivery in finland

Drone Food Delivery Takes Flight in Finland

Despite challenging weather conditions, Finland is witnessing a new era in food delivery – utilizing drone technology. A collaborative effort is underway to bring this innovation to customers.

A Three-Way Partnership

Following the annual Slush conference in Helsinki, entrepreneur Ville Leppälä showcased a partnership between Manna, an Irish drone delivery firm, Wolt, the DoorDash-owned food delivery platform, and Huuva, his own startup. This collaboration aims to redefine convenience in food delivery.

Huuva, translating to "kitchen hood," secured seed funding from General Catalyst in 2022. The company initially focused on cloud kitchens but now heavily integrates delivery technology, including drones, into its operations.

Wolt Customers Experience Drone Delivery

Wolt is now informing customers ordering from Huuva’s Niittari location in Espoo – a region within the Helsinki metropolitan area – about the option of drone delivery. This location has been identified as particularly suitable for this innovative service.

Building on Manna’s experience of over 50,000 deliveries completed in Dublin, operations in Finland commenced swiftly after obtaining the necessary permissions. Following a trial period, drones have been fully operational in Espoo for the past two months.

Convenience and Capacity

Customers can order a variety of food options from Huuva’s partner brands, and even add groceries to their order. Each drone has a carrying capacity of approximately 4.4 pounds, and Manna is capable of dispatching two drones simultaneously.

Speed and Cost Efficiency

Drones offer a significant advantage over traditional delivery methods by avoiding traffic congestion, ensuring food arrives fresh. This speed is a key factor, and potentially leads to more sustainable unit economics for Huuva.

Currently, standard deliveries cost Huuva approximately €5-6 ($6-8) each. Drone deliveries, however, have the potential to be reduced to around €1 ($1.16). These figures do not include Manna’s operational costs in Finland.

Weather Resilience and Safety Protocols

Manna’s drones are already well-equipped to handle challenging weather conditions, having been extensively tested for wind and rain, including snowfall. While icing presents a challenge, alternative delivery methods are employed, and chemical de-icing is avoided due to food safety concerns.

Expanding Last-Mile Delivery Solutions

Manna’s drones are part of a broader range of last-mile delivery solutions. Wolt already utilizes sidewalk robots from Coco and Starship in Finland, and its parent company, DoorDash, has developed its own delivery robot, Dot, which is operating in Arizona.

Future Expansion Plans

Amid speculation about DoorDash developing its own drone delivery program, partnerships with companies like Manna and Huuva are strategically beneficial. Huuva is exploring expansion to another Espoo location, potentially enabling direct kitchen-to-drone delivery via a dedicated window.

The Delivery Process

Currently, delivery workers on e-scooters transport orders from the Huuva kitchen in heat-insulated bags to Manna’s launchpad. Under the supervision of maintenance lead Makar Nalimov, the orders are weighed and balanced before being placed in regulator-approved bags.

Safety Measures and Redundancy

Manna prioritizes safety through numerous measures, including systematic battery swapping to ensure full charge, redundancy at all operational levels, and preparedness for various incident scenarios. A parachute is included as a final safety precaution.

Remote Operations and Final Confirmation

While Manna maintains on-site staff, Mission Control is based in Ireland. Operators there analyze lidar maps, review flight paths, and designate a delivery point near the customer’s location. Final human confirmation is obtained via an image of the landing spot before the package is lowered using biodegradable rope.

Scaling Operations for Winter

The process has become routine for Manna’s local team, which is now handling a growing number of deliveries daily. They are preparing for their first operational winter in Finland. Huuva is also focused on expanding drone deliveries in Espoo, with a desire to feature its logo on the regulator-approved delivery bags.