Aiming to reinvent remote deliveries, DASH systems secures seed funding
The Los Angeles-based technology company has announced $8 Million in seed funding to develop and refine aerial delivery technology
Investors have backed initial funding for DASH Systems’ precision airdrop solution, which aims to allow deliveries in remote locations without the need for landing, saving on fuel, time and shipping delays.
The new funding will allow the company to conduct pilot programs with partners and expand into commercial use in target markets, growing its footprint in air cargo logistics and delivery.
DASH claims the system allows for precision airdrop deliveries to rural, remote and difficult to reach locations without the need for landing. Instead of having to land at an airport and drive cargo to a destination, DASH allows retailers, package delivery companies, and emergency management organizations to autonomously release and land packages from commercial aircraft to helipad-size areas. The system relies on three parts: flight management software, automated aircraft cargo handling systems and the smart-cargo pods that allow for precise and soft landings of packages.
Traditionally, cargo delivery rates are charged on a price per pound mile. By removing the need to land the airplane, partners can better utilise their fleets, cut fuel costs and eliminate trucking costs or road restrictions and delays, reducing this cost. DASH’s system claims to be, in general, 65% faster, and 45% cheaper than traditional delivery options in remote areas, and aims to replace hub and spoke freight air distribution with longer flights on continuous routes.
Inspired by defence technology, this is an update to a longstanding and legal practice of air-drops repurposed for both commercial and humanitarian use. The process is done using an existing commercial airplane, where DASH’s flight management software maps the delivery route, and instructs the pilot where and how to fly. When the aircraft reaches the correct spot, DASH’s cargo handling system automatically releases the smart-cardo pods which land safely at the desired location. This falls within existing FAA regulations, and has undergone proof of concept tests.
"We created DASH Systems after realizing that 30% of the cost for delivering cargo or goods to small airports is associated with landing the plane," said Joel Ifill, CEO and Founder of DASH Systems. "By commercializing precision aerial delivery technology that previously was only available to militaries, we can accurately and safely airdrop cargo into airfields, distribution centres or rooftops all while the plane is still in motion. Our vision is to land the package, not the plane, and provide rapid logistics virtually anywhere in the world."