A joint project has been announced by Guimarra Companies with Reliable Robotics Corporation of Mountain View, CA to test shipments of produce utilizing autonomous aircraft technology, developed by the latter company.
Created to help address supply chain and delivery challenges within the fresh produce industry, the test flight program had its successful inaugural flight on August 7.
Giumarria Companies, based in Los Angeles said simply calling the project groundbreaking would be an understatement. The company believes autonomous aircraft will transform the future of the fresh produce industry. It further noted the technology will evolve the way products are delivered to market by allowing the delivery of fresher, riper fruit anywhere in the country, including remote food deserts, at speeds never before seen.
An automated Cessna 172 Skyhawk, with an engineer and pilot on board for safety assurance, completed a 200-mile journey from Reedley Municipal Airport to Whiteman Airport in Los Angeles. Giumarra previously announced an air freight shipment, completed in partnership with Reliable Robotics on August 7, to deliver peaches grown in the San Joaquin Valley to Southern California grocery retail via a pilot-operated Cessna 208.
In 2019, Reliable Robotics achieved a fully autonomous flight on the Cessna 172 Skyhawk without an onboard pilot. The company has also demonstrated automated landing of the larger Cessna 208 Caravan and is in the process of certifying its automation platform for use on the Caravan, a popular cargo plane ideal for air shipments of produce.
The program provides proof automation can improve speed and quality for the entire fresh produce supply chain: Utilizing autonomous aircraft, growers and suppliers can quickly and more efficiently deliver farm fresh produce to stores in less time, resulting in less shrink.
Retailers, particularly those in smaller or more remote markets, can offer consumers fresh produce available at stores within 24-48 hours of being picked. Growers can produce varieties optimized for flavor and texture versus long-haul transportation methods.
“Giumarra is a forward-thinking company and we’re proud to partner with them to show how automated cargo flights can greatly improve fresh food distribution,” said Robert Rose, Co-founder and CEO of Reliable Robotics. “We believe autonomous aviation is going to change the way we experience food, for the better.” Reliable Robotics is currently working with the Federal Aviation Administration and in 2017 was founded by SpaceX and Tesla veterans, who have raised $33.5 million in two funding rounds.