Flirtey Successfully Conducts First Ship-to-Shore Drone Delivery

Flirtey ship-to-shore drone delivery

(Photo Credit: Flirtey)

Last week, Nevada-based independent drone startup, Flirtey, successfully conducted the first ship-to-shore drone delivery in the United States off the New Jersey coastline. The drone used to make this historic delivery was outfitted with KDE Direct commercial components.

Flirtey has made a name for themselves, securing headlines in the press and changing the way people think about drones and their capabilities. Flirtey’s tagline, “Saving Lives and Changing Lifestyles,” speaks to the potential for drones to become ubiquitous across the world.

Flirtey’s First Ship-to-Shore Drone Delivery

On Wednesday, June 22, 2016, Flirtey conducted the first ship-to-shore drone delivery in the United States. This comes one day following the FAA’s new rules for commercial drone usage. This test took place off of the coast of New Jersey in front of a small crowd of onlookers that included members of the United Nations’ humanitarian arm and the American Red Cross.

On the first ship-to-shore drone delivery, Flirtey used a drone to collect medical samples from the shore, deliver them to a ship and then collect medicine from the ship, which were then delivered to the shore. The ship-to-shore drone delivery was autonomous, demonstrating how an unmanned aircraft could provide life-saving aid to victims of a natural disaster, such as a hurricane.

This ship-to-shore drone delivery shows how UAVs can be used to deliver emergency medical supplies, food and water from an offshore vessel to locales not accessible otherwise.  For example, after a hurricane or tsunami in a disaster-prone coastal area, drones could potentially be used to bring aid, such as blood samples and emergency medical supplies to victims.

With the new rules outlined by the FAA, it’s likely we’ll see more of this type of testing from startups like Flirtey, among others. Using drones for humanitarian aid could save lives and change disaster relief efforts worldwide. KDE is proud to have our commercial components aboard Flirtey’s drones during this pinnacle time in UAV history.


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