Drones.

Military drone technology paves way for large-scale commercial deliveries. 

Deliveries of food and other items by drone have been making news for at least a decade but nowhere has the practice been scaled up for broad, everyday usage. But in Israel this week, dozens of drones floated through the skies of Tel Aviv, ferrying cartons of ice cream and sushi across the city in an experiment. Israel's National Drone Initiative, a government programme, carried out the drill to prepare for a world in which commercial deliveries will be made by drones to take pressure off highly congested urban roads.

Key Statistics on Israel's Drone Delivery Tests

* 50 - 120 metres above the ground is the flying range.

* 300 flights a day are allowed in this stage of the programme.

* 5 km radius missions currently allowed. Next year, drones will be capable of 100-km radius missions.

* 2.5 kg maximum weight that is allowed to be carried. 

Obstacles to Allowing Drone Deliveries

* Officials will have to ensure that drones can handle flights through turbulent weather conditions and that the skies can be quickly cleared in case of war or emergency

* There are also issues of privacy. "Once you have a drone that actually takes photos or videos you create a totally new dimension of privacy invasion", said Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler, digital technology expert and fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute, a think tank in Jerusalem.

* Large birds and the noise of the drone could also become deal breakers for the public's adoption of the emerging technology.

Covid-Inspired

The drone initiative was inspired by the halting effect that Covid-19 had on the transportation of medical supplies in early 2020.

16

Israel is a global leader in drone technology with much of its expertise rooted in highly technologised military. Many of the 16 companies participating in the drone initiative have links to the military.

08

8 stages of tests with this being the third stage.

"One day, we will have drone-powered taxis in the sky"- Yoely Or, co-founder of Cando Drones, one of the companies that participated in Israel's experiment.

Tailpiece.

Got up around a quarter past 6, the chores and was ready by 10.

Worked on my memoirs of the IPKF experiences in Sri Lanka during 1987-'89 while in command of INLCU L36.