A pizzeria in the Komi republic's capital city of Syktyvkar has launched a helicopter drone-delivery service.
DoDo Pizza's first unmanned delivery was made on Saturday to much applause from witnesses in the city's main square.
According to the regional news agency FlashNord, the drone was able to complete its task in just half an hour, and the pizzeria's owners plan to make drone deliveries a regular practice.
The chopper drones have been outfitted with everything necessary to ensure the deliveries go smoothly: they even contain video cameras monitored by the restaurant's manager, who calls the customer at the time of delivery to make sure the pizza does not fall into the wrong hands.
Once the manager sees that a customer has come outside to accept the delivery, the pizza is lowered to the ground using a cable. The drones are not yet equipped to accept cash; payments must be made at the time an order is placed, using a bank card.
The chopper drones were developed by a Russian company called CopterExpress, which says in a statement on its website that the devices can generate a speed of up to 40 kilometers per hour and can carry up to five kilograms.
The drones are equipped with anti-theft systems: If the cable is tugged on too hard, it triggers an emergency mechanism which releases the cable, keeping the chopper safe from would-be thieves.
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