Domino’s is testing the feasibility of delivering hot pizza direct to your door via octocopter drones.
Branded 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, as detailed by NBC News recently; 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.
“If anything, it went quicker than a pizza boy,” T + Biscuits founder Tom Hatton said when asked about the feasibility of using the DomiCopter drone. “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.