DB Schenker and Volocopter integrate cargo drone air and ground operations
International logistics giant DB Schenker and urban air mobility (UAM) pioneer Volocopter have successfully created and tested a system to integrate Volocopter’s air cargo drones into an automated warehouse and ground logistics process – which will serve as a basis for integrating VoloDrone operations in logistics networks across the globe.Volocopter has developed a series of full-scale electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for passenger and cargo transport that have already been widely flight tested. And for the last two years, Volocopter and DB Schenker have been developing the VoloDrone cargo drone for commercial launch and assessing use cases for business-to-business drone services in logistics.
Versatile cargo drone
The VoloDrone, Volocopter’s heavy-lift and versatile cargo drone, is battery powered, can transport a 200 kg payload up to 40 km, and has 18 rotors and motors powering the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
This latest stage has involved designing and testing the necessary integrated ground processes. And the partners announced this week that they have successfully completed a “joint static proof of concept (PoC) for VoloDrone ground operations in logistic centres” at Messe Stuttgart.
Together, the partners are creating “the first blueprint for electric cargo drone ground operations in logistics”, with the support of Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics.
They revealed. “The static PoC tested how logistics operators can manage personnel, payloads, automated ground vehicles, and VoloDrones to create an efficient process and a safe environment for future VoloDrone operations.”
They said the blueprint derived from these results “will be the first of its kind and serve as a basis for integrating VoloDrone operations in logistics networks across the globe, realising automation and sustainability ambitions in supply chains”.
Automated mobile robots
To create automated ground operations linked to the air cargo drones, automated mobile robots for this PoC were provided by DB Schenker’s partner, Gideon Brothers, a pioneer for autonomous mobile robotics.
A video of the tests can be viewed via this link
The research teams from Volocopter, DB Schenker, and Fraunhofer IML simulated the VoloDrone integration in a logistics network by examining the ground processes for coding goods, assessing safe cargo loads and goods, testing the automated supply of the drone through autonomous vehicles, and identifying other necessary pre-flight cargo checks.
Following this, the processes for transporting and loading the VoloDrone payload were conducted and examined to identify safe, standard procedures for employees on the ground preparing the VoloDrone for flight.
Christian Bauer, CCO of Volocopter, explained: “By developing a blueprint for VoloDrone operations, Volocopter is leading the way into the next dimension of transport logistics with tangible and operational data backing our service claims. Our work with DB Schenker shows that they are a great investor, a valuable partner, and an enabler for our commercial VoloDrone operations.”
Erik Wirsing, global head of innovation at DB Schenker, commented: “The VoloDrone unlocks new possibilities for the logistics industry, and it represents a key element for DB Schenker’s innovation and sustainability roadmap for logistics. Volocopter’s leadership in this emerging urban air mobility industry is most evident in their practical solutions, their customer-centric approach, and their commitment to bring UAM to life.”
Blueprint for other project partners
Once it is finalised, the blueprint will be available for project partners under a non-disclosure agreement. Volocopter said as many as 70 companies had already expressed an interest in the concept.
Volocopter explained that this solution for intracity logistics “will operate within Volocopter’s UAM ecosystem for cities, also consisting of passenger mobility services (VoloCity and VoloConnect), their infrastructure (VoloPort), and a digital backbone to coordinate and view all operations in real time (VoloIQ)”.
Volocopter has been developing products for the logistics space with their heavy-lift cargo variant, the VoloDrone, but is also building “the world’s first sustainable and scalable urban air mobility business – to bring affordable air taxi services to megacities worldwide”.
With the VoloCity, the company is developing “the first fully electric ‘eVTOL’ aircraft in certification to transport passengers safely and quietly within cities”.
Various flight and safety tests have already been completed, including manned and unmanned test flights.
Hellmann’s cargo drone plans
This week’s announcement comes as Hellmann Worldwide Logistics this week unveiled plans to offer European customers “a pioneering new transport service for the cross-border transportation of time-critical goods” using cargo drones, with the first routes expected to begin as early as next year.
The European logistics group announced a partnership today with Dronamics, a leading “middle-mile cargo drone developer and operator”, which has been developing its cargo drones for several years.