https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/dublin-become-first-country-europe-17797522Dublin to become first city in Europe to offer fast food delivery by droneThe service is expected to launch next monthBy Sylvia Pownall
22:41, 22 FEB 2020
Europe's first fast food delivery service by drone will start in south Dublin in a matter of weeks, according to a leading tech company.
Manna Aero founder Bobby Healy predicted huge demand for the service when it is launched in a south Dublin suburb with 30,000 people in March.
Speaking on ‘The Big Tech Show’ podcast, Mr Healy said drones would deliver food from several chains to your door inside of three minutes.
He revealed: “Camile Thai is a partner on the food side. Next Tuesday, we will formally announce the name of a major online food player that everybody knows.”
He said that “major online food player’s” delivery service app would have a new drone symbol.
He added: “You’ll open the app and, in the case of Camile Thai, it will offer for the food to be picked up by drone.
“If you order by drone it will be delivered in less than three minutes.”
Earlier this month, Camile Thai chief executive Brody Sweeney said the Manna Aero drone delivery system would allow customers to pick a landing area around their home, such as a patio or driveway.
Mr Healy, the former chief technology officer of CarTrawler, said the Irish Aviation Authority had been supportive of the initiative.
He said: “We’re going to open it up to about 30,000 people to begin with.
“What we expect to happen is that there’ll be too much demand and so we’ll have to restrict it in some way.
“But anyone who wants to see it can just come along and see it happening. It will be in a public place.”
Mr Healy recently revealed his ambition to expand to 50,000 delivery drones for the Irish and UK markets.
Manna Aero uses “custom-designed aviation-grade drones” built in Europe and the US.
