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3. Autonomous Last Mile Delivery Companies -Nuro (US) and JD.com (China) are the Key Players

Autonomous last mile delivery revolutionizes the transportation of goods and services to customers' doorsteps without any human involvement throughout the entire process. This innovative approach utilizes autonomous vehicles, including ground and aerial platforms such as drones, to carry out the delivery tasks. The advent of autonomous aerial delivery drones and ground delivery robots is poised to bring about significant transformations in on-demand delivery services. These advanced drones and robots are increasingly employed in various sectors, including retail, food and beverages, logistics, and healthcare, to efficiently transport packages. Ground delivery robots are meticulously designed not only to detect subtle cues from pedestrians and surrounding structures but also to adhere to street signals while navigating their routes.

The autonomous last mile delivery market is valued at USD 0.9 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 4.2 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 22.7%. The Incorporation of advanced sense and avoid systems in aerial delivery drones, expansion of e-commerce, and increased use of low-cost and light payload drones by startups for product delivery have led to the growth of autonomous last mile aerial deliveries worldwide.

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Major Autonomous Last Mile Delivery Companies Include:

• Nuro
• JD.com
• kiwibot
• starship technologies
• Amazon
• United parcel service
• zipline
• Matternet, Inc
• Flirtey (SkyDrop)
• wing

Ground Delivery

Nuro

Nuro is a leading autonomous delivery company that focuses on designing and developing self-driving vehicles for last-mile delivery. Nuro focuses on offering safe and economical doorstep delivery of goods at a local level. It developed an autonomous robot that travels on the road at a slow speed and performs autonomous last mile deliveries. These robots are specifically designed for the delivery of packages and food items. The company received a permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), US, in 2018. It also offers consumer education and training programs, giving information to consumers about the expected behavior of robotic vehicles. Nuro's business model revolves around creating purpose-built, fully autonomous vehicles specifically designed for delivering goods. Their vehicles are compact, electric-powered, and equipped with advanced sensors, cameras, and lidar systems to navigate and interact with the surrounding environment. With a strong emphasis on safety, Nuro has obtained regulatory approvals and permits to operate its autonomous vehicles on public roads in certain cities and regions.

JD.com

JD.com, Inc. is a publicly listed company on the NASDAQ exchange under the ticker symbol JD. The company operates in two key business segments: JD Retail and New Businesses. JD Retail focuses on e-commerce, while the New Businesses segment offers technology and logistics services to third parties, overseas ventures, insurance, and online-to-offline businesses. JD.com places a strong emphasis on developing and maintaining advanced technology platforms. These platforms encompass data science, artificial intelligence (AI), virtual and augmented reality, automation, robotics, and autonomous vehicle systems. With a wide distribution channel spanning the Asia Pacific region and the United States, the company effectively reaches its target markets. In China, JD.com operates a fleet of over 100 driverless ground vehicles and 100 drones.

kiwibot

Kiwibot is a prominent player in the autonomous delivery industry, providing innovative last-mile delivery solutions to businesses and consumers. The company operates with a strong focus on leveraging advanced technologies to optimize the delivery process and enhance operational efficiency. Kiwibot has established a solid presence in the market since its inception. The company's core offering revolves around autonomous delivery robots, which navigate urban environments to deliver packages, food, and other goods. These robots are designed to seamlessly integrate into existing infrastructure while adhering to safety regulations and efficient navigation protocols. Kiwibot caters to a diverse range of industries, including retail, food and beverage, logistics, and e-commerce. By partnering with businesses in these sectors, Kiwibot enables efficient and timely deliveries, enhancing customer satisfaction and streamlining operations. The company's autonomous delivery robots are equipped with advanced features such as real-time tracking, secure compartments, and user-friendly interfaces, ensuring a seamless delivery experience for both businesses and end consumers.

starship technologies

Starship Technologies is an innovative autonomous delivery robotics company that specializes in providing last-mile delivery solutions. The company develops self-driving robotic vehicles to deliver local parcels or groceries directly from stores or hubs to customers. With a focus on revolutionizing the way goods are delivered, Starship Technologies has developed a fleet of intelligent, self-driving robots designed to navigate sidewalks and local neighborhoods to make convenient and efficient deliveries. The core offering of Starship Technologies is its autonomous delivery robots, which are equipped with advanced sensors, cameras, and mapping technology to ensure safe and reliable navigation. These robots are designed to carry a variety of items, including groceries, meals, packages, and other everyday goods. They are capable of autonomously traveling short distances, typically within a few miles, to reach their destinations. Starship Technologies has established strategic partnerships with various businesses, including major retailers, grocery chains, and food delivery services. By leveraging these partnerships, the company has successfully integrated its robotic delivery solutions into existing delivery ecosystems, providing businesses with a cost-effective and scalable alternative for last-mile deliveries. The company's business model primarily revolves around partnering with local businesses and delivery service providers to offer their autonomous delivery solutions. They offer a comprehensive platform that includes fleet management, route optimization, and real-time tracking, enabling businesses to seamlessly incorporate the robots into their operations. The company opened its first office in Tallinn, Estonia, in December 2014. Other than Estonia, the company has a presence in the UK, the US, Germany, and Switzerland. The products offered by the company have traveled 100,000 km in more than 100 cities across the world, encountering 12 million people and making over 4 million deliveries. 

Amazon

Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Washington, US. Amazon.com, Inc (Amazon) offers its products in the autonomous last mile delivery space through Amazon Robotics. Amazon Robotics, formerly known as Kiva Systems, manufactures mobile robotic fulfillment systems.  Amazon Robotics automates fulfillment center operations using various robotic technologies, including autonomous mobile robots, sophisticated control software, language perception, power management, computer vision, depth sensing, machine learning, object recognition, and semantic understanding of commands. The company has development centers in the US and Germany. Amazon Prime Air is a drone-based delivery system currently in development by Amazon.

aerial Delivery

United parcel service

UPS (United Parcel Service) is a globally recognized leader in the logistics and transportation industry. Founded in 1907 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, UPS has evolved into a comprehensive provider of supply chain solutions, serving customers in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. UPS operates through three primary business segments: U.S. Domestic Package, International Package, and Supply Chain & Freight. These segments offer a wide range of services tailored to meet the diverse needs of businesses and individuals. The U.S. Domestic Package segment focuses on the domestic delivery market within the United States. It offers a variety of services, including time-definite and day-definite delivery options, e-commerce solutions, and specialized services for industries such as healthcare, retail, and automotive. The International Package segment provides global delivery services, connecting businesses and consumers across borders. With an extensive network of air and ground transportation, UPS offers international shipping, customs brokerage, and supply chain management services to facilitate seamless global trade. As technology advances and regulatory frameworks evolve, UPS is poised to leverage autonomous last mile delivery solutions to further enhance its operational capabilities and provide customers with efficient, reliable, and convenient delivery services.

zipline

Zipline is a leading company in the field of autonomous aerial delivery, specializing in the delivery of medical supplies and other critical products. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, Zipline has revolutionized the way essential goods are transported, particularly in remote and underserved areas. The core focus of Zipline is to build and operate a fleet of autonomous drones capable of delivering medical products, such as blood, vaccines, and medications, to healthcare facilities in a timely and efficient manner. The company's mission is to provide access to life-saving supplies, especially in regions with inadequate infrastructure or challenging terrain. Zipline operates on a unique model where it partners with governments, healthcare organizations, and international aid agencies to establish distribution networks. These networks are designed to ensure that medical products are readily available, even in hard-to-reach locations. By utilizing autonomous drones, Zipline eliminates the limitations posed by traditional transportation methods, such as road infrastructure constraints and long delivery times. As of May 2023, Zipline had 4,974,180 items deliveries with 45,156,928 miles flown in total.

wing

Wing, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. (Google's parent company), is a prominent player in the autonomous drone delivery industry. Wing's drones are designed to be highly efficient, autonomous, and capable of navigating complex airspace and challenging environments. Leveraging vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) technology, these drones can operate in confined spaces without the need for traditional runways or landing strips. They have the capacity to transport various goods, ranging from small packages to larger items, adapting to diverse delivery requirements. Safety is of utmost importance to Wing, and the company has actively engaged with regulatory bodies and authorities to ensure compliance with aviation and airspace regulations. Equipped with advanced sensors and navigation systems, Wing's drones possess the ability to detect and avoid obstacles during flight. Comprehensive safety measures are implemented to safeguard both the drones and the communities in which they operate.

Matternet, Inc

Matternet, Inc. (Matternet) is a privately-owned company providing autonomous delivery drones for the logistics industry. It provides complete solutions for automated logistics applications, including drones, stations, and cloud software. The company also provides healthcare, logistics, and e-commerce solutions. In March 2017, Matternet became the first company in the world to be authorized for urban drone delivery operations in Switzerland. Matternet's technology allows for the safe and efficient delivery of medical supplies, such as blood samples and medications, in urban environments. Their system includes the Matternet M2 Drone, Matternet Station for automated takeoff and landing, and Matternet Cloud for mission planning and control. Matternet aims to revolutionize how goods are transported, particularly in healthcare and logistics industries, by leveraging the capabilities of drone technology.

 Flirtey (SkyDrop)

Flirtey (SkyDrop) is a drone delivery service provider that provides last mile delivery services using a network of flying robots. It also develops air traffic control software in collaboration with NASA (US). The company is the first to perform Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved fully autonomous drone delivery in the US region. The company is working with NASA, Johns Hopkins University, Remote Area Medical, New Zealand Land Search & Rescue, Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority, Domino's, and 7-Eleven to conduct deliveries of medicines to rural healthcare clinics, ship-to-shore deliveries of medical samples, and deliveries of retail and e-commerce items and food to consumer homes. In October 2021, Flirtey was re-christened as SkyDrop.

Related Reports:

Autonomous Last Mile Delivery Market by Platform (Aerial Delivery Drones, Ground Delivery Vehicles (Delivery Bots, Self-Driving Vans & Trucks)), Solution, Application, Type, Payload Weight, Range, Duration and Region - Global Forecast to 2030

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