AZE.US
Azerbaijan has tested a new drone designed to deliver small cargo to ships in the Caspian Sea, a move that could open the way for wider use of unmanned aircraft in maritime logistics.
The drone was developed by specialists of the National Aviation Academy as part of cooperation with Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company, known as ASCO. It was tested on April 21, according to information cited in local media.
The aircraft can carry up to 10 kilograms of cargo over a distance of up to 10 kilometers above the sea. It can remain in the air for up to 40 minutes in aerial filming mode and up to 30 minutes in continuous cargo delivery mode.
The technology could be useful for delivering small parcels, documents, spare parts or other urgent items to vessels located away from the shore. It could also work in the opposite direction, allowing small cargo to be sent from ships back to land.
Transport expert Rauf Aghamirzayev, commenting to Patrul.az, described the development as a positive step. He said the drone could make delivery between the shore and offshore vessels more efficient, especially when a full trip by boat is not necessary for a small package.
Drone delivery is already being used or tested in several countries. In Rwanda and Ghana, drones have been used to deliver blood, vaccines and other medical supplies. Some European countries have also tested drone routes for parcels and postal services.
In Azerbaijan, drones are already used in agriculture, security, aerial filming and territorial monitoring. Delivery services for food, mail and commercial parcels remain at an early stage, but the regulatory system for civilian drone use has been gradually updated.
Aghamirzayev said wider drone delivery in Azerbaijan would require careful attention to safety and the impact on urban transport. But global experience suggests that more advanced delivery services using drones could eventually be introduced in the country.
For now, the clearest practical use is at sea. In the Caspian, where vessels may be located some distance from shore, drone delivery could become a working tool rather than just a technological experiment.
AZE.US