Located in Finland, a country known for its harsh weather conditions, Huuva, a cloud kitchen startup, has teamed up with Irish drone delivery company Manna and DoorDash-owned food delivery platform Wolt to revolutionize food delivery in the Helsinki metropolitan area. Despite the challenging climate, Huuva is now offering drone deliveries to bring delicious meals to customers in Espoo.
Huuva, which means kitchen hood, initially focused on providing quality food to suburban areas and has now incorporated drone technology into its delivery services. Partnering with Manna, a company with a successful track record of over 50,000 deliveries in Dublin, Huuva’s drone deliveries have been operational for the past two months in Espoo.
Customers ordering from Huuva’s Niittari location can now opt for drone delivery, allowing them to receive their orders faster and fresher. Each drone can carry around 4.4 lbs of food, making it a convenient and efficient delivery option for residents in Espoo.
The partnership between Huuva, Manna, and Wolt signifies a shift towards innovative last-mile delivery solutions. In addition to drone deliveries, Wolt is utilizing sidewalk robots from companies like Coco and Starship in Finland. DoorDash, Wolt’s parent company, has also developed its own delivery robot, Dot, for operations in Arizona.
With the potential for drone deliveries to reduce costs significantly, Huuva estimates that traditional deliveries costing €5-6 each could be brought down to €1 through drone technology. Despite the challenges posed by Finland’s weather, Manna’s drones have been rigorously tested to withstand wind, rain, and even snow.
To ensure compliance with regulations and safety standards, Manna follows strict procedures, including battery swaps before each flight, redundancy measures, and a parachute as a last resort. Mission Control is based in Ireland, where operators oversee flight plans and confirm delivery locations before drones lower packages using biodegradable rope.
As Huuva and Manna gear up for their first winter in Finland, the team is prepared for increased delivery volumes and continued success in drone operations. With plans to expand to additional locations in Espoo, Huuva is eager to brand the regulator-approved delivery bags with its logo, further solidifying its presence in the innovative world of drone deliveries.
