Wing (company)

Last updated
Wing Aviation LLC
Wing
Company typeSubsidiary
Industry
  • Aviation
  • logistics
Founded
  • 2012;12 years ago (2012) (as a project of X Development)
  • July 2018;6 years ago (July 2018) (as Wing)
Headquarters Mountain View, California, U.S.
Number of locations
5
Area served
  • United States
  • Australia
  • Finland
  • Ireland
Key people
Adam Woodworth (CEO)
Services Drone delivery
Parent Alphabet Inc.
Website wing.com

Wing Aviation LLC, doing business as Wing, is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. that develops a drone delivery system and UTM systems. The company completed its first deliveries in 2014. [1] The company has operations in Australia, the United States, Finland, and Ireland, with potential expansion to the United Kingdom planned. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] In July 2018, Project Wing graduated from X Development (formally Google X) to become an independent Alphabet company. [7] As of January 2019, Wing began delivering take-out food and beverages out of its test facility in Bonython, Australia, as part of a pilot program. [8] In April 2019 Wing became the first drone delivery company to receive an Air operator's certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration to allow it to operate as an airline in the US. [9] In the first quarter of 2022, the service made more than 50,000 deliveries. [10]

Contents

Drone specification

Wing's aircraft delivering goods in Vuosaari, Helsinki Wing delivery Vuosaari 3.jpg
Wing's aircraft delivering goods in Vuosaari, Helsinki

In the six years to 2018, Wing developed its aircraft to meet compliance standards and effectively deliver parcels through the air. The drones are specifically designed for small parcel delivery. Each aircraft has horizontally-oriented propellers like a classic multirotor drone, along with a fixed-wing to help it cover long distances quickly The aircraft takes off vertically and then enters a forward-flight phase. Its motors are powered by electric batteries. [11] For safety purposes, the aircraft features many redundant systems (extra propellers, batteries, etc.) so that if anything were to malfunction, flight can continue until a mechanic can address the issue. The flight path the aircraft follows is determined by Wing's UTM (Unmanned Traffic Management) System, which optimizes the route for time and distance efficiency while ensuring the plane's path will be obstacle-free. To assist in navigating unforeseen obstacles, the aircraft is equipped with black and white cameras that detect and analyze shapes without observing distinct features in order to preserve community privacy while maintaining safe flight. The company says that image data is not preserved, and is only used for ‘technical analysis’. [12] [13]

In 2022, the company introduced concepts for new models that could carry larger and smaller payloads. [14]

Objections and opposition

Wing's public operations have faced noise complaints. [15] [16] Residents in the rural southeastern region of Australia where Wing operates have complained about the disruption to their lives. A local dog club president said that the noise from the delivery drone trials spooked dogs when nearby. [15] Some customers opted-out of the trial citing this disruption. [15] One ecologist states they worry these "drones are taking to the air without a lot of thought for the ears of people on the ground." [13] In November 2019, the Australian Federal government found Wing's Canberra operation exceeded the residential noise standard. [17] Wing developed a quieter propeller and promised other measures to address this issue. [17]

In an experiment in Bonython, a suburb of Canberra, drones suddenly appeared, surprising and annoying residents. There were complaints about the drones' impact on the community, local wildlife and the environment. There were unplanned landings, dropped payloads, drones flying close to vehicle traffic, and birds attacking and forcing down some drones. Residents joined together, using Facebook and a Web site, produced newsletters, lobbied federal and local MPs, informed local, national and international news media, and made many freedom of information requests to local authorities. [18] [19]

In response to complaints a parliamentary inquiry into drone delivery systems was set up, with remit including examination of the decision to permit the trials, the economic impact of the technology, what regulatory oversight there was of the technology at various levels of government, and possible environmental impact of drone deliveries. In August 2023 Wing terminated operations in the Canberra area with little fanfare, because it had "shifted [its] operating model". [18] [19]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk</span> Unmanned surveillance aircraft

The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk is a high-altitude, remotely-piloted surveillance aircraft introduced in 2001. It was initially designed by Ryan Aeronautical, and known as Tier II+ during development. The RQ-4 provides a broad overview and systematic surveillance using high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors with long loiter times over target areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unmanned aerial vehicle</span> Aircraft without any human pilot on board

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), or unmanned aircraft system (UAS), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft with no human pilot, crew, or passengers onboard. UAVs were originally developed through the twentieth century for military missions too "dull, dirty or dangerous" for humans, and by the twenty-first, they had become essential assets to most militaries. As control technologies improved and costs fell, their use expanded to many non-military applications. These include aerial photography, area coverage, precision agriculture, forest fire monitoring, river monitoring, environmental monitoring, weather observation, policing and surveillance, infrastructure inspections, smuggling, product deliveries, entertainment, and drone racing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piaggio P.180 Avanti</span> Executive transport aircraft

The Piaggio P.180 Avanti is an executive/VIP light transport aircraft, designed by Piaggio Aero and built in Italy. It features twin, wing-mounted turboprop engines, in a pusher configuration. The Avanti seats up to nine people in a pressurized cabin and may be flown by one or two pilots. The design is of three-surface configuration, having both a small forward wing and a conventional tailplane, as well as its main wing, with the main wing spars passing behind the passenger cabin area. The FAI lists it as the fastest propeller-driven aircraft with speed of 927.4 km/h.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PAC P-750 XSTOL</span> Utility transport aircraft

The PAC P-750 XSTOL, is a utility aircraft of conventional all-metal low-wing monoplane design, with fixed tricycle undercarriage. Combining the engine and wings of the PAC Cresco with a new larger fuselage and modified tail, all versions to date have been powered by a 750 hp (560 kW) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboprop. It is designed and manufactured in Hamilton, New Zealand, by Pacific Aerospace Limited.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swift Engineering</span> American spacecraft engineering company

Swift Engineering is an American engineering firm that builds autonomous systems, helicopters, submarines, spacecraft, ground vehicles, robotics, and composite parts. The chairman and CEO is Hiro Matsushita, a former racecar driver and grandson of the founder of Panasonic, Konosuke Matsushita.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper</span> American unmanned aerial vehicle

The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper is an unmanned aerial vehicle capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations, developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) primarily for the United States Air Force (USAF). The MQ-9 and other UAVs are referred to as Remotely Piloted Vehicles/Aircraft (RPV/RPA) by the USAF to indicate ground control by humans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diamond DA40 Diamond Star</span> Family of light aircraft

The Diamond DA40 Diamond Star is an Austrian four-seat, single-engine, light aircraft constructed from composite materials. Built in both Austria and Canada, it was developed as a four-seat version of the earlier DA20 by Diamond Aircraft Industries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TAI Anka</span> Unmanned aerial vehicles

The TAI Anka is a family of unmanned aerial vehicles developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries primarily for the Turkish Air Force. Envisioned in the early 2000s for aerial surveillance and reconnaissance missions, Anka has evolved into a modular platform with synthetic-aperture radar, precise weapons and satellite communication.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Airbus Zephyr</span> Series of lightweight solar-powered UAV

The Zephyr is a series of high-altitude platform station aircraft produced by Airbus. They were designed originally by QinetiQ, a commercial offshoot of the UK Ministry of Defence. In July 2010, the Zephyr 7 flew for 14 days. In March 2013, the project was sold to Airbus Defence and Space. In the summer of 2022, the Zephyr 8/S flew for 64 days.

CASC Rainbow is a series of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) marketed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). The series includes multi-role medium-altitude long-endurance UAVs and micro air vehicles (MAV). The UAVs are produced by CASC's China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics (CAAA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delivery drone</span> Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) used to transport packages, food or other goods

A delivery drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed to transport items such as packages, medicines, foods, postal mails, and other light goods. Large corporations like Amazon, DHL, and FedEx have started to use drone delivery services. Drones were used effectively in the fight against COVID-19, delivering millions of vaccines and medical supplies across the globe. Drone deliveries are highly efficient, significantly speeding up delivery times and avoiding challenges traditional delivery vehicles may encounter. Given their life-saving potential, use cases for medical supplies in particular have become the most widely tested type of drone delivery, with trials and pilot projects in dozens of countries such as Australia, Canada, Botswana, Ghana, Uganda, the UK, the US among others.

Urban air mobility (UAM) is the use of small, highly automated aircraft to carry passengers or cargo at lower altitudes in urban and suburban areas which have been developed in response to traffic congestion. It usually refers to existing and emerging technologies such as traditional helicopters, vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft (VTOL), electrically propelled vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft (eVTOL), and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). These aircraft are characterized by the use of multiple electric-powered rotors or fans for lift and propulsion, along with fly-by-wire systems to control them. Inventors have explored urban air mobility concepts since the early days of powered flight. However, advances in materials, computerized flight controls, batteries and electric motors improved innovation and designs beginning in the late 2010s. Most UAM proponents envision that the aircraft will be owned and operated by professional operators, as with taxis, rather than by private individuals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cessna 408 SkyCourier</span> Twin-turboprop utility aircraft

The Cessna 408 SkyCourier is an American utility aircraft designed and built by the Cessna division of Textron Aviation. It was launched on November 28, 2017, with an order for 50 from FedEx Express, with the aircraft designed for the needs of its FedEx Feeder service. It made its first flight on May 17, 2020, and was type certified on March 11, 2022. FedEx took delivery of the first production model on May 9, 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zipline (drone delivery company)</span> Company that delivers medical supplies by drone

Zipline International Inc. is an American company that designs, manufactures, and operates delivery drones. The company operates distribution centers in the United States, Rwanda, Ghana, Japan, Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire, and Kenya. As of April 2024, its drones have made more than one million commercial deliveries and flown more than 70 million autonomous miles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elroy Air Chaparral</span> Type of aircraft

The Elroy Air Cargo is an unmanned cargo aircraft developed by American startup company Elroy Air, intended to replace land delivery trucks on inefficient routes with unmanned aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TAI Aksungur</span> Turkish unmanned combat aerial vehicle

The TAI Aksungur is an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) built by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) for the Turkish Armed Forces. Using existing technology from the TAI Anka series of drones, it is the manufacturer's largest drone with payload capacity for mission-specific equipment. It is intended to be used for long-term surveillance, signals intelligence, maritime patrol missions, or as an unmanned combat aerial vehicle. TAI planned to integrate weapon packages and put the Aksungur into production in early 2020. The first unit was delivered to the Turkish Naval Forces on 20 October 2021.

eVTOL Type of aircraft

An electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft is a variety of VTOL aircraft that uses electric power to hover, take off, and land vertically. This technology came about owing to major advances in electric propulsion and the emerging need for new aerial vehicles for urban air mobility that can enable greener and quieter flights. Electric and hybrid propulsion systems (EHPS) have also the potential of lowering the operating costs of aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wingcopter</span> German aerospace company

Wingcopter GmbH is a German aerospace company that designs and manufactures unmanned eVTOL delivery drones capable of providing last-mile delivery as well as mapping, surveying, and inspection. Their flagship drone, Wingcopter 178 Heavy Lift (HL), set the Guinness world speed record for remote-controlled tilt-rotor aircraft in 2018, flying at an average speed of 240.6 km/h. To date, the company has partnered with commercial and humanitarian organizations to perform drone delivery of critical supplies in Africa, the South Pacific, Ireland, and Scotland. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Wingcopter partnered with Thales, Skyports, and the NHS to provide beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) delivery of medical test samples and other supplies to a hospital on a remote Scottish island. The company has been recognized by the World Economic Forum as "2020 Technology Pioneer". The company is amongst ten other drone companies to be selected by FAA to participate in a type certification program for delivery drones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Advanced air mobility</span> Next generation aviation

Advanced air mobility (AAM) are systems that incorporate support for next-generation transport such as such as remotely piloted, autonomous, or vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft. This includes those powered by electric or hybrid-electric propulsion.

The Corvo Precision Payload Delivery System (PPDS) is a small aerial drone originally intended for logistics, weighs 2.4 kg (5.3 lb) empty, and deliveries payloads of up to 3 kilograms (6.6 lb).

References

  1. ↑ "Wing". Google X. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Helsinki - Finland". Wing. Retrieved 2020-06-28.
  3. ↑ "Canberra – Australia". Wing. Retrieved 2020-06-28.
  4. ↑ "Virginia – United States". Wing. Retrieved 2020-06-28.
  5. ↑ "Alphabet drone firm lifts off in Dublin". Independent.ie. 2022-11-16. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  6. ↑ "Wing Blog: Wing and Apian partner to create medical drone delivery service in Ireland and explore opportunities in the UK". Wing Blog. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  7. ↑ Koulopoulos, Thomas (July 2018). "The Moonshot to Create the Next Google". Inc. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Google Drones Can Already Deliver You Coffee In Australia". The Wall Street Journal . 8 January 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2018– via YouTube.
  9. ↑ "FAA Certifies Google's Wing Drone Delivery Company To Operate As An Airline". NPR.org. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  10. ↑ "Alphabet's drone delivery division Wing flies high with 50k deliveries in Q1". The Stack. 2022-04-27. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  11. ↑ Launch: Transforming Delivery by Wing CEO James Ryan Burgess (Video with introduction and transcript). Slush. 7 December 2018 – via YouTube.
  12. ↑ "Google Spinoff's Drone Delivery Business First to Get FAA Approval". Bloomberg. 22 April 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2019– via www.bloomberg.com.
  13. 1 2 "Google drones approved for US home deliveries". BBC News. 23 April 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  14. ↑ "Wing Blog: Wing's Aircraft Library". Wing Blog. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  15. 1 2 3 Wiggers, Kyle (27 December 2018). "Customers compare the noise from Alphabet spinout Wing's delivery drones to a chainsaw". Gizmodo. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  16. ↑ Paine, Garth (3 May 2019). "Drones to deliver incessant buzzing noise, and packages". The Conversation.
  17. 1 2 Gothe-Snape, Jackson (11 September 2019). "Google-affiliated drone delivery service found to be exceeding noise limits". ABC News. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  18. 1 2 Zenz, Anna; Powles, Julia. "Resisting technological inevitability: Google Wing's delivery drones and the fight for our skies". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A. doi:10.1098/rsta.2024.0107. PMC   11558236 . Retrieved 10 August 2024. In press; date written 22 June 2024
  19. 1 2 Naughton, John (10 August 2024). "Don't trust the inevitability myth touted by the tech determinists". The Observer.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.