City of Berlin testing drones to deliver groceries and medicine

The city of Berlin has announced that it will begin a three-year project piloting drones which deliver food and medicines in the German capital.

Berlin begins drone delivery pilot project

Local authorities in Berlin have announced a pilot project using drones to transport groceries and medicines in the capital. The project, run by U-Space, aims to reduce traffic in Berlin.

For now, delivery drones will be tested on an industrial estate in the southwest of the Tempelhof-Schöneberg district and in several other limited areas.

The pilot phase will assess whether the project is legally viable and climate-friendly. It will also involve locals in planning flying routes, and develop ideas for drone landing stations that would function similarly to pack stations used by Deutsche Post and DHL.

Other pilots will focus on sustainable building and water reuse

In the press release, local authorities announced two other pilot projects. The first aims to reuse building materials on three construction projects, at TU Berlin, on Müggelsee Lake and building a workshop for the German Foundation for Monument Protection.

The final pilot project will consider how “greywater”, water which has been used for showering, hand washing, and laundry, can be reused for flushing toilets, watering plants or in washing machines.