Patented drone delivery mailbox offers standardized landing zone

Valqari—a Chicago-based startup company—has unveiled its patented Smart Drone Delivery Mailbox, which provides a standardized, safe and secure landing area for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) deliveries.

The universal receptacle handles both package delivery and pick-up by drone. Valqari said its technology could revolutionize drone delivery for industries such as pharmaceuticals, meal delivery and grocery services—in both the government and e-commerce sectors.

“We knew the biggest hurdle facing drone delivery was that there was no standardized, safe and secure landing area,” said Ryan Walsh, Valqari CEO and co-founder. “This gave us a clear vision from the start that our mission would be to provide the missing piece to the last stage drone delivery process.”

Valqari said the technology puts it ahead of major players—such as Google, Amazon and Uber—for the end process of drone delivery. The company said it has the only drone delivery solution with utility patents issued in 13 countries and territories. These include the U.S., the U.K., Germany, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Australia, South Africa, and several other countries in the European Union. According to Valqari, this blocks competitors from entering the smart drone delivery mailbox market in these regions.

“In 2013, we saw that no one else had developed this technology, which is why it was critical for us to put a stake in the ground by immediately applying for utility patents to make us the only smart mailbox option for commercial and residential use,” Walsh said.

Valqari said its mailbox gives drone delivery providers a safe landing area by using two-way communication technology to eliminate risks related with total automated drone delivery. The company can provide prospective partners with a complete end-to-end delivery solution and offer future users reduced shipping costs, increased market penetration, reduced liabilities and a secure chain of custody.

The technology is the result of four years of development by Walsh and his Valqari co-founder Alexander Falesch. They created a secure and practical answer for the final few inches of delivery, which they believed no other drone delivery application addressed.