DURHAM, N.C. — No matter how many times you see it, it's still cool to watch a drone take off. What's really cool about the flights in Durham, is what is inside the drone.
"It's very similar to DoorDash and Uber Eats. The main difference is instead of driving to your house, we will be flying it," said Mike Ciampa, regional operations manager for Flytrex North Carolina.
Just like Uber Eats and DoorDash, you can download the Flytrex app, and make an order. Flytrex will then get notified of that order. They'll go pick it up, and put it in the drone. And away it goes.
That's right, food, coffee, snacks. Your next dinner delivery could come by drone if you’re in Durham. Flytrex operates within a two-mile radius around SouthPoint Mall.
"The main place that we deliver to people's backyards,” said Ciampa. The two-mile radius is for single-family homes right now. The drone drops the food delivery off in your backyard. At this point, apartment complexes are not involved, but if you live outside the zone, you can always go pick up your drone delivery at a drop-spot near Jersey Mike’s at Southpoint Mall.
"So there's less human interaction or contact. You don't have to worry about tipping the drone," said Ciampa.
Charleys Philly Steaks is one restaurant that's just started having their cheesesteaks delivered by drone. And Durham was their first location to try this out.
"More convenient and more quickly and get a little congestion off the roads as well," said Brian Hipsher, chief marketing officer for Charley’s Philly Steaks.