Little Caesars is taking pizza delivery off the streets and into the sky with a new drone program that could change how fast dinner arrives.
The pizza chain has teamed up with Flytrex to launch an upgraded drone delivery service capable of carrying much larger orders than earlier food-delivery models. Instead of transporting small meals or snack-sized bags, the new system can bring an entire family order straight to customers. According to the companies, one flight can handle two large pizzas along with drinks, giving households a full dinner without a driver ever leaving the ground.
That extra carrying power comes from Flytrex’s new Sky2 drone, which was designed for heavier deliveries and longer runs. The aircraft can reportedly travel up to four miles and complete the average trip in about 4.5 minutes. Flytrex also says the drone can carry up to 8.8 pounds, making it strong enough for larger fast-food orders that older drone systems could not manage.
The first Little Caesars restaurant using the service is now operating in Wylie, Texas. Customers who place an order through the Flytrex app can have their food prepared through Little Caesars’ normal system before it is loaded onto the drone and flown to its destination.
The concept may still sound futuristic, but it also solves a few familiar delivery frustrations. Traffic delays, wrong turns, and long wait times become less of an issue when the route is through open air.
Of course, the bigger question is whether customers will embrace regular meals arriving from above. Still, pizza may be the perfect match for this kind of delivery: it is flat, boxed, easy to carry, and already expected to arrive hot and fast.
