Residents of Prestige Falcon City in Bengaluru are experiencing a new era of convenience, as drones now deliver groceries and medicines directly to their homes in less than 10 minutes. This innovative service is the result of a collaboration between Skye Air Mobility, a drone logistics company, and BigBasket, a leading quick-commerce platform.

The initiative aims to enhance delivery speed, reduce traffic congestion, and promote eco-friendly solutions within the gated community. Avinash HV, President of the Bengaluru Apartment Federation South and a member of the Resident Welfare Association, highlighted the benefits: "Our key goals are to provide quicker service, enhance efficiency, and decrease traffic congestion in the gated community, which earlier witnessed several delivery partners making repeated trips."

How the Drone Delivery System Operates

Orders placed by residents are fulfilled from a BigBasket warehouse located within a 5 km radius of Prestige Falcon City. Skye Air's drones, certified by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), transport packages weighing up to 7 kg to the community. These drones are equipped with real-time tracking systems but do not carry cameras, ensuring privacy for residents.

Upon arrival, a designated staff member within the complex receives the deliveries and distributes them to the respective residents. The entire process takes between 5 to 10 minutes, with services available daily from 7 AM to 8 PM. Importantly, there is no additional cost to the customer for this expedited delivery method.

Expansion Plans and Operational Efficiency

Skye Air Mobility plans to extend this drone delivery model to 20 additional residential societies in Bengaluru over the next three months. Currently, the company processes 40–50 orders daily using two drones, with intentions to scale up to 25–30 drones in the near future.

Ankit Kumar, Founder and CEO of Skye Air Mobility, emphasised the efficiency gains: "We are processing 40–50 orders every day, and in quick commerce, time is of the essence. Our batching system increases efficiency." The company also aims to expand its services to areas like Jayanagar, Bannerghatta Road, and Electronic City, supported by its emerging Skye Pod Network—an infrastructure designed specifically for drone deliveries.

Environmental and Logistical Advantages

Drones offer significant advantages over traditional delivery methods. They can double delivery efficiency, with a single drone capable of handling 60 deliveries per day—twice that of an average delivery rider. Additionally, drones reduce travel distances and emissions, as aerial routes are often shorter than road paths, especially in congested urban areas. Kumar noted, "The sky distance is almost half of the road routes, particularly in congested areas. We plan to increase the radius of delivery of dark stores from 1.8 km to 5 km in the future."