"The Aerial Platform Supporting Autonomous Resupply Actions (APSARA) systems are a heavy-duty cardboard gliders that can be deployed from an aircraft like a C-17 cargo plane, by the hundreds. Star Simpson, hardware developer on the project, tells us that they can then glide up to around 55 mi (88 km) away from the drop point, before circling in and making a precise landing with the cargo in tow.
'We have done tests releasing our
aircraft from 1,000 ft (304 mt) and proved their ability to turn at
waypoints and to land within close range of a specific location,'
Simpson tells New Atlas.
Once the goods have arrived, the drones biodegrade in a matter of days."I've read of drones being flown over difficult terrain to deliver blood to rural areas, then they fly back. This one-way system also seems useful for delivering supplies in hard to reach areas.
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