Aha, is the largest online shopping site in Iceland, has partnered with the Israeli company Flytrex to expand its shipping options through the use of drones. Thanks to this collaboration, Icelandic e-commerce has taken a decisive step towards automated logisticsmaking Reykjavik one of the first cities in the world to have a commercial delivery service using unmanned aerial vehicles.
Using drones as a delivery system, the company Aha can now ship products in two parts of the city of Reykjavik These areas are separated by a wide river and several canals, complicating land distribution. This solution allows for connecting zones that previously required long detours by road, making the distribution of food, groceries, appliances, books, and other products sold on the platform less efficient.
To deploy Flytrex drones This will significantly reduce delivery times and costs. Aha currently uses vans to deliver products to certain addresses in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. These vehicles are affected by traffic, bridges, detours, and the city's geography, which increases delivery times and operating expenses for fuel and personnel.
With the new system, the Icelandic authorities They have initially authorized a set of specific routes for drone flights over the city. Flytrex and Aha have permission to operate. 13 different routes which allow coverage to approximately half of the city, with the possibility of making detours of up to 700 meters Regarding the established route to reach customers who are located further away from the main flight corridors.
Now Aha use drones that travel a single route over the bay and other routes authorized by the Icelandic Transit Authority. An Aha employee, for example, manages a delivery order at a drone center near a restaurant or warehouse, places the package on the drone, and it transports it to a second center or delivery point near the customer, from where another employee can complete the final leg on foot or by bicycle. This model of combined delivery Drone + delivery on foot or by bike increases flexibility and reduces bottlenecks in urban transport.
The system was initially designed for orders of food and drinksSince these types of products require fast deliveries and, in many cases, temperature-controlled conditions, Flytrex drones operating with Aha can incorporate a refrigeration chamber which keeps products that need it cold throughout the air journey, guaranteeing that the customer receives their purchase in perfect condition.
In the near future, Aha will do its delivery orders with drones These vehicles are equipped with cables that allow them to lower the package and deliver it safely directly to the consumer, without needing to land at an intermediate point. This controlled cable descent system will allow delivery to more addresses, further optimize delivery times, and reduce reliance on physical collection points.
The drone, which can carry packages of up to 3 kilogramsIt has the capacity to fly at an approximate speed of 50 km/h and travel over ten kilometers, making it ideal for covering the distances between different areas of Reykjavik separated by water. Thanks to this speed and the absence of traffic, a drone can travel around 4 minutes what a car would do in a few 25 minutes in heavy traffic conditions, which means a drastic reduction in waiting time for the customer.
In addition to the improvement in times, the company has observed a significant cost reduction in the last mile. Aha's internal calculations indicate that the use of drones can reduce delivery times by up to 60% of the delivery cost compared to traditional land or sea methods, since fewer vehicles are needed, less fuel is consumed, and logistics planning is optimized with more direct routes.
For now, the system is making a single delivery per flight, but Flytrex technology is designed to be able to manage multiple deliveries on the same route when the regulatory framework and infrastructure allow it. This would open the door to even faster and more efficient services, with drones capable of making several optimized stops on a single flight.
Aha focuses on drone delivery service not as a pilot project not as a temporary measure, but as a permanent service offered by the Icelandic online marketplace. This strategic move positions the company as a leader in logistics innovation within European e-commerce and reinforces Iceland's image as a country open to experimenting with new technologies.
Flytrex and Aha have received regular approval from the Icelandic Transit Authority to carry out the delivery of food and various products from shops and restaurants to their respective customers within the city of Reykjavik. This official approval allows them to operate within a clear regulatory framework, similar to that of other drone delivery initiatives in cities like Shanghai, and places them among the first operators to have successfully passed initial tests to offer a real commercial service.
Unlike other drone delivery projects that have remained as isolated tests, demonstrations, or advertising campaigns, the service promoted by Aha and Flytrex It represents a real-world example of integration into the day-to-day operations of e-commerce. The combination of reduced delivery times, cost savings, a lower environmental impact thanks to the use of electric drones, and an improved shopping experience for the user makes drone delivery in Iceland a key case study for understanding the future of logistics in global e-commerce.