Mid-Air Drone Relays: IBM's Vision for Extended Supply Chain Reach

IBM Research has patented a design for delivery drones that can transfer payloads in mid-air, enabling relay systems to extend supply chains' reach.

The design involves equipping the relay drones with extension arms that connect and lock in mid-flight, ensuring stable package transfer. The drones would also have sophisticated communications links, likely connected to IBM's Watson supply chain and logistics system.

This technology could revolutionize e-commerce fulfillment by allowing customers to send out their own personal drones to receive packages directly from the relay drones. If a drone fails or is knocked out of commission, the missing drone can be tracked using GPS, and others can be dispatched automatically.

The potential applications for this technology go beyond e-commerce, with IBM's co-inventor citing opportunities in managing drones to deliver postal packages and medicine in developing countries via the most direct routes.