Lincolnshire in the UK has become the fourth location to receive autonomous robotic deliveries from DPD as part of a nationwide rollout of the technology.
Initially launched in Milton Keynes in July 2022, DPD’s robots are now also delivering parcels to DPD customers in Raunds and Bristol, with more locations to follow this year.
The robots have a battery life of up to 12 hours and can deliver within a 1.6km radius of the depot. They operate autonomously once they have completed the mapping process, during which the robot is fully supervised and controlled by remote control.
DPD parcel recipients in Witham St Hughs in Lincolnshire will receive an SMS when the robot is outside their property and can then use a secure one-time PIN code to open the robot and access their parcel. Once the compartment is closed, the robot will either continue to its next delivery or return to the depot. The robots can complete up to 30 deliveries a day.
Tim Jones, director of marketing, communications and sustainability at DPDgroup UK, commented, “The robots have been a huge success for us. They have exceeded our expectations in terms of their effectiveness and the feedback from parcel recipients has been fantastic. As a result, I’m confident that residents will welcome them. The robots have proven themselves in a range of different locations, and having started out as a trial, we have now identified up to 30 depots where they could operate very successfully.
“As a company we are committed to investing in innovation, learning and challenging ourselves to find new ways to improve our operation and become more sustainable. Our journey to net zero is largely dependent on employing ever smarter technologies and, while the robots are one small part of that, they are a great example of integrating autonomous technology into our operation.”