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Zipline and Jumia Team Up to Offer Drone Deliveries of Thousands of Products Across Africa

Africa’s largest e-commerce network and drone logistics company, Zipline, are teaming up to kick off instant, automated, drone deliveries of thousands of products to customers across the land of the Sahara.
Zipline delivery drone 7 photos
Photo: Jumia Group/Twitter
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Zipline and Jumia recently announced a partnership that will see Zipline’s drones deployed in several regions of the African continent, as a follow-up to a pilot program that was launched in Ghana, a few months back. Zipline’s drones will provide fast, sustainable, and convenient access to rural and remote areas in Africa, being able to deliver in places that are hard or impossible to reach via conventional methods.

Thanks to Zipline’s automated, on-demand drone delivery system and Jumia’s large distribution network, customers will be able to order the products they want from the comfort of their homes. Thousands of items will be available for delivery, whether they are health and beauty items, electronics, fashion products, and more, and they will reach their destination almost instantly.

The pilot program carried out a few months ago covered approximately 2,500 km (1,553 miles) in flight during the testing phase, with a variety of products being tested for delivery. Zipline managed to deliver the items via drone at distances of up to 85 km (approximately 60 miles) in less than an hour.

Jumia’s logistics network currently spans 11 countries and consists of more than 30 warehouses and more than 3,000 drop-off and pick-up stations. As for Zipline’s delivery drones, they use advanced, sophisticated tech that the company describes as the “holy grail for drone technology”. The UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) come with a complex DAA (detection and avoidance) system that consists of a series of small, lightweight microphones and onboard processors. The DAA acoustic system helps the drones navigate safely even in the most uncontrolled airspaces, offering 360-degree awareness and working within ranges of up to 6,560 ft (2,000 m).
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About the author: Cristina Mircea
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Cristina’s always found writing more comfortable to do than speaking, which is why she chose print over broadcast media in college. When she’s not typing, she also loves riding non-motorized two-wheelers, going on hikes with her dog, and rocking her electric guitars.
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