Four years ago, when I was working with IBM Interactive Experience (IBM IX), we had a workshop to build a business and digital transformation capabilities. In that workshop, we formed a few groups and were challenged on developing future business models. Groups consisted of senior leaders as well as fresh graduates who allowed having an ‘advanced collective brain’.
One of the groups presented their business model of a ‘Future Pizza hut model’.
A tired executive living in a Singapore ordered the pizza by pressing a button in his mobile app, and within 20 minutes, pizza is delivered to an apartment located in a high rise building at Singapore’s Changi Business Park. There were no delivery men. Delivery was by air- ‘by drones’. Drones did not emit carbon; it reduces the motor traffic (because no delivery vehicles involved) and delivers the pizza just within twenty minutes, they explained the social benefits.
Four years ago, in that workshop, we created new business models using ideation and business modelling techniques just within two hours. We were amazed by the business models developed in the workshop using those techniques. All of us who attended and learnt those techniques were convinced that future business models are going to be different.
Today, four years later, I am sitting at my couch and reading the news of what is happening in Canberra, Australia, a few hundred miles from my home. ‘Google’s drone delivery service launches in Canberra after being given the green light to take to the skies’ reported, ABC news (Evans, J, 2019). According to the news, Wing-one of the Google branches has been researching and piloting the delivery of goods like burritos, coffee and medication in the suburbs of Canberra. As of now (May 2019), more than a thousand deliveries have been completed without any incidents.
In Another continent, in Africa, Ghana’s drawn service has launched 24x7 hours of emergency medical supplies delivery to remote locations. According to New Tafo Hospital, one of the hospital taking part in the pilot runs says, ‘services are much faster than deliveries made by road especially because road network in Ghana is poor ‘ ( Knott, S.,2019). This is mind-blowing and promising, and I am sure you would agree.
Simple google research on ‘Delivery by drones’ result in thousands of search results. Test projects of deliveries by drones have started not that long ago. Companies like Amazon prime air, Alibaba, Google, Flirty, JD.Com, DHL, UPS have started tests in different countries. However, out of all these trials, Boeing cargo delivery was the one which blew my mind.
Boeing has been experimenting developing drones for cargo deliveries. For the first time, it sounds wired as cargo are heavyweights, generally several tons. Boeing HorizonX’s cargo drone could lift and deliver 500 pounds (Leary, K,2018). What fascinated me the most was the drone, from paper sketch to delivery has taken only three months to its final product, which explains that with the right level of focus, team and urgency, things can be expedited. Speed to market matters.
Reference: retrieved from https://futurism.com/boeings-new-prototype-cargo-drone-carry-500-pounds
Drones, which are powered by technology, logistics are challenging the existing business models. Deliveries by road, and probably by sea will be replaced. People who used to do those jobs will be replaced. The entertainment industry has begun shooting by drones. The ambulance services have started using drones. Agriculture has started using drones. Forest conservations have started using drones. A new journey has begun.
We are entering a new era where autonomous drones will be part of our daily lives without even noticing it. Yes, it will replace many jobs, but it will generate a lot more.
References
Evans, J, 2019, Google’s drone delivery service launches in Canberra after being given the green light to take to the skies, ABC News, Retrieved from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-09/google-drone-delivery-in-canberra-given-green-light/10983684
Knott, S.,2019 , Drones Deliver Medical Supplies in Ghana, Vocie of Africa News, retrieved from https://www.voanews.com/a/drones-deliver-medical-supplies-in-ghana-/4931593.html
Brodie , C.,2017, These drones are revolutionising forest conservation, digitalempowers.com, retired from https://digitalempowers.com/drones-revolutionising-way-forests-managed/
Leary, K,2018, Boeing’s New Prototype Cargo Drone Can Carry up to 500 Pounds, retrieved from https://futurism.com/boeings-new-prototype-cargo-drone-carry-500-pounds
