A same day delivery service across South Africa using a fixed-wing medium-sized drone is possible at a fraction of what it costs now, according to Svilen Rangelov, CEO and co-founder of Dronamics. “South Africa is a relatively small country that can easily be serviced with mediumsized drones offering same day delivery,” he said. “At present there is a mismatch in cargo delivery in the country. For every kilogram of cargo that flies, there is 10 000 times more cargo on the ground.” Load factor, said Rangelov, was also an issue in South Africa. “It was only 54% for South African Airways in 2017. This, however, cannot be addressed without new airframes.” According to Rangelov, a developer of a mediumsized cargo drone called the Black Swan, which can cover a distance of around 2500km per day carrying around 350kg of freight, more cargo could be moved by air locally at a transport cost of anything between $2 and $3. “We believe that once this service becomes available and the affordability is realised, the demand is going to be huge.” He said, Dronamics’ Black Swan would begin commercial deliveries in 2020, with a signed agreement in place for Bulgaria and another for Europe. “We also are in talks with three airlines and hope to introduce the service in Africa next year.