Aviant, the MIT-founded and Norway-headquartered drone logistics startup, announces it has expanded its autonomous delivery operations to the popular ski resort town of Lillehammer, enabling thousands of visitors and inhabitants to receive groceries, meals from independent restaurants, and medicine delivered straight to their residences with pinpoint accuracy via autonomous drones.
Using the Kyte app, over 4,000 people living in Norwegian municipality of Lillehammer, will receive deliveries to precise locations of their choosing by Aviant’s fleet of autonomous drones of medicine, groceries, and meals from independent restaurants
Using autonomous drone technology developed and perfected by Aviant for the delivery of medical supplies and tests during the COVID-19 pandemic, and following initial consumer trials in the company’s native Trondheim, the home-delivery service and app, Kyte (https://kyte.delivery), is now available for users in Lillehammer to browse a list of consumer products that can be delivered by drone. Through partnerships with four retail partners and local independent restaurants, Aviant’s drones will be able to deliver a range of goods to customers in remote areas, while offering a faster, more efficient, and cleaner alternative to traditional delivery methods. Accurate within 1 meter, Kyte customers can specify the desired drop-off point, and live track the individual drone delivering their item on a map.
Unlike other drone providers, which can operate only in summer, owing to Norway’s extreme weather conditions, Aviant’s drones have been developed to operate and deliver payloads in high winds (up to 12 m/s) and sub-zero temperatures (routinely operating below -15°C). Since launch in 2020, Aviant has successfully completed over 4,000 flights and covered a total distance of 40,000km; the equivalent of 120 trips from London to Paris.
Emitting 95% less CO2 than an electric car, Aviant’s drones will operate within a radius of 17km (nearly six times that of traditional drones) over Lillehammer, making it the largest area in Europe (and globally) serviceable by autonomous drone delivery - even in harsh Nordic weather
On average, Kyte offers a door-to-door delivery time of 24 minutes. Adhering to EU drone delivery regulations and licensed by the Norway CAA (Civil Aviation Authority), Aviant drones are fully electric, and with a payload of 1.5kg emit 95% less CO2 than an electric vehicle, and 99.9% less than a traditional diesel car.
“This represents a significant moment for autonomous drone delivery in Europe: when the benefits to consumers and the environment move from the hypothetical phase and into viable real world application. Though Norwegians might be pitied by some for our challenging weather, these conditions have allowed us to develop a unique drone born to withstand the conditions which leave others grounded. We now offer the longest-distance autonomous drone delivery service in the world, making this no longer considered a gimmick limited by distance and climate, but a means to support businesses and people whilst slashing emissions. We plan an imminent roll-out beyond Norway.” comments Lars Erik Fagernæs, CEO and co-founder of Aviant
Aviant - Company Background
Aviant was co-founded by MIT-students Lars Erik Fagernæs, Herman Øie Kolden and Bernhard Paus Græsdal, after they identified the potential for autonomous flight during the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially, the company began delivering vital medical supplies for hospitals, transporting blood and COVID tests, before expanding to water and milk samples. Aviant has received €1 million of public funding from Innovation Norway, and in 2022 announced a $2.3 million seed round led by Sweden’s Luminar Ventures, with participation from Bring Ventures (Corporate Venture arm of the Norway Post Group), and CoFounder.