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THEY'VE said it before and they'll say it again, 'Domino's is not a pizza company, it's a technology company'.
Today however, Domino's Pizza Enterprises (ASX: DMP) flaunts the best of both worlds, presenting the most futuristic item on its menu to date.
In partnership with leading drone delivery company Flirtey, Domino's has officially launched the world's first commercial aerial drone delivery service to take flight for the first time in New Zealand.
Domino's is set to fly its pizzas out to customers from a flagship store in Auckland later this year, following a successful demonstration before the Civil Aviation Authority and Minister of Transport Simon Bridges earlier this morning.
Domino's CEO and managing director Don Meij says the new drone delivery service is testament to the company's flair for thinking outside the pizza box.
"With the increased number of deliveries we make each year, we were faced with the challenge of ensuring our delivery times continue to decrease and that we strive to offer our customers new and progressive ways of ordering from us," says Meij.
"Adding innovation such as drone deliveries means customers can experience cutting-edge technology and the convenience of having their Supreme pizza delivered via air to their door - this is the future."
The drones will carry food securely at a safe altitude of approximately 60m and a top speed of around 30km per hour.
Customers will be notified when the drone is approaching, and their order will be lowered out of the air by a cord which is fitted with a cutting mechanism to prevent drone interference, vandalism or theft.
Meij believes that drone delivery is an option that simply makes more sense than traditional deliveries in the current day and age.
"What drones allow us to do is extend that delivery area by removing barriers such as traffic and access, as well as offering a much faster, safer delivery option," says Meij.
"We've always said that it doesn't make sense to have a 2-tonne machine delivering a 2-kilogram order."
While the service is still in its early testing phases, drones will only deliver in calm weather conditions in a controlled environment.
The customer verification process, mid-flight malfunctions and location drop abilities are also a few of the key issues that Domino's plans to sort out during the initial test period.
In the meantime, Meij says Domino's will continue to work with Flirtey on smoothing the kinks, looking forward to rolling out the service across several viable locations in the near future.
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