Drones do not only take photos, they can also deliver food!

The growth in e-commerce shopping behavior is here to stay with more than 40% of e-shoppers are expected to maintain the new shopping habit, according to a recent report from AlixPartners. However, one of the key challenges is to fulfill the delivery promise. Interestingly, US grocer Kroger partnered with Drone Express to pilot delivery by drone.

In pursuit of creating a winning value proposition, e-commerce players could consider colonizing the 'immediacy' space -- fast delivery within 15-20 min. There is a growing need to deliver to consumers on their terms and recognize concerns around health and hygiene, particularly post-pandemic. While the regulatory hurdles associated with drone usage may be sizeable and the infrastructure costs initially high, e-commerce players that move first and tackle both, or develop the right partnerships, will have a genuine advantage.