Detailed by NBC News recently, Domino’s Pizza hired a creative agency called T + Biscuits to test the feasibility of octocopter drones that deliver a hot, delicious pizza to your doorstep. Heavily branded as the DomiCopter, the current prototype can deliver two, large pizzas in about ten minutes within a four mile radius of the store. While future versions could hypothetically use GPS coordinates to deliver the pie, the existing model is piloted from the ground by someone experienced in drone flight.
The DomiCopter has eight spinning blades and includes the standard thermal insulation bag that’s carried around by Domino’s Pizza delivery drivers. Developed by a company called Aerosight, this type of drone is primarily used for capturing broadcast quality video with cameras like the Red Epic , Canon C300 or Sony PMW F3.
No flying permits are needed to operate the drone up to 126 meters off the ground; only permission of the landowner is required. Other tools that can be used with the drone include on-board GPS, air pressure sensors and an electronic compass.
When asked about the feasibility of using the DomiCopter drone, T + Biscuits founder Tom Hatton said “If anything, it went quicker than a pizza boy. We were amazed at how easy it was going to be.” Hatton was referencing the time required to navigate roads as well as stop at red lights. According to Hatton, other names previously batted around for the DomiCopter included the “Pepperdroney” and the “Flyin’ Hawaiian.”
After proving the concept with the first drone flight, the DomiCopter has been delivered to Domino’s UK headquarters for further testing. Ideally, the company wants to test increasing the payload capacity of the drone in order to carry other items like a two-liter bottle of Coke or perhaps more pizzas. Domino’s UK management haven’t announced any plans to roll out a test of drone deliveries at Domino’s pizza locations in the United Kingdom or the United States.
