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Air cargo firm SpiceXpress, along with ecommerce logistics platform Delhivery, will build drone delivery capability in India, and the pilot project is expected to start in the next three-four months.

Both the entities — SpiceXpress and Delhivery — have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to this effect, according to a joint statement.

The cargo division of airline firm Spicejet is one of the key consortiums shortlisted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to conduct trials on Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drones in India, the statement added.

“We are very excited about this project as it promises to be a game-changer in times to come. The MoU is a win-win for both companies, leveraging their strengths to deliver great synergies,” SpiceXpress CEO Sanjiv Gupta said.

SpiceXpress further said the pilot project is expected to start in the next three-four months.

“The collaboration is an extension of our long-standing relationship with Spicejet. We look forward to leveraging our capabilities to revolutionise the logistics ecosystem,” Delhivery COO Ajith Pai added.

The technology will be tested for numerous commercial applications, including emergency services, delivery of goods, critical medical services, and environmental monitoring.

Delhivery will provide the necessary on-ground support to ensure speedy and reliable first-mile and last-mile logistics, according to the statement.

“Drone delivery is the future of logistics, and both the companies have joined hands to experiment with drone technology to provide state-of-the-art services and make it more popular in the coming years,” it said.

In May, the civil aviation ministry granted a conditional exemption to the Telangana government from the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules, 2021, for ‘conducting experimental delivery of vaccines’ beyond the visual line of sight using drones.

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the ministry, in April, allowed the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to conduct a feasibility study on using drones to deliver COVID vaccines.