Online shopping site Shop.ca says it has partnered with Drone Delivery Canada to pioneer small package delivery by drone in Canada.
There are, of course, some regulatory hoops for the project to get through but assuming all that is accomplished the drone company promises “unparalleled, just in time delivery for Shop.ca customers who desire immediate product delivery.”
Shop.ca is equally giddy about the potential. “This partnership marks a milestone for our company,” said Shop.ca founder Trevor Newell. “By embracing drone delivery, Canada’s next generation drone technology, we are further fortifying our commitment to innovation and adding value to our customers.”
The devil, of course, is in the details. Government approval for widespread drone delivery, particularly seems far away at this point given the technological, privacy, and safety concerns that such an operation raises. Possibly the biggest step will be the approval of beyond line-of-sight operations for drones.
Amazon is also investigating drone delivery and is testing its system in B.C. because of the generally more permissive environment in Canada.