UPS has had its first successful residential drone delivery test in Tampa, Florida, by launching off a UPS truck to deliver a package then return to the truck that had already driven father down the assigned route.

The drone, called HorseFly, stands out against competitors , like DHL, due to its ability to locate the UPS truck while it’s on the move. The HorseFly drone had been programmed with a preset route, but UPS feels that future routes could be determined by the company’s proprietary routing software, On-Road Integrated Optimization and Navigation (ORION). This technology currently sets the UPS drone ahead of its competition, as most drone-based delivery originates from processing centers, and have not been incorporated onto a moving route.

The Horsefly drone is fully autonomous and doesn’t require a pilot. This will enable the delivery driver to make other deliveries at the same time as the drone, cutting down on delivery time and optimizing routes.

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Source: Popular Mechanics