System for secure delivery and pickup of shipments by drones
The technology enables a secure delivery and pickup of shipments via drones by combining hardware features with software algorithms, in order to provide a site-specific, user-specific, safe, damage-free and user-friendly experience.
Challenge
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or drones are becoming increasingly important in applications such as transportation, logistics, inspection and monitoring in industrial or public environments. Advanced air mobility (AAM) refers to a new business section using UAV for aerial deliveries of goods or shipments. Available drone systems can lower or drop goods or shipments into front yards or onto doorsteps. Moreover, food delivery by drone is already reality in China. However, available systems can lack security features, which often cannot guarantee protection of goods deliveries from unauthorized access. Furthermore, abseiling of deliveries may lead to damage, in case that the deliveries are dropped by mistake from a great height. Additionally, drone malfunction or inappropriate drone operation can lead to noise pollution, also in connection with insufficient personal protection.
Our Solution
The presented technology comprises a specific combination of hardware features, software and tailored algorithms, which are capable for site-specific, safe, theft-proof and damage-free delivery or pickup of shipments by drones. The shipment order, delivery and pickup can be achieved at any time and targets a particularly user-friendly delivery and handover scenarios. The shipment is placed by a drone on a specific platform and remains in a safe position and height, until being picked up by another drone or by the user/recipient, without any risk of unauthorized access to the content. The overall shipment delivery or pickup logistics as well as data transmission, processing and handling of shipments is protected against third-party/unauthorized access.
Illustration of shipment delivery or pickup by drones (image generated with Perplexity AI).
Advantages
- Efficient, time-independent and site-specific shipment delivery or pickup
- Increased delivery reliability
- Protection for people and infrastructure
- Integrity into existing infrastructure
- Comfortable shipment handover
- Flexible positioning
- Scalability for drone fleets
Applications
- Shipment delivery and pickup by drones
- Click‑&-Collect for residental areas, retail and catering
- Campus and factory logistics
- Supply of rural regions
- Supply with critical goods
Development Status
The technology has been successfully developed and tested on laboratory scale. Prototypes are available.
Patent Status
European patent application filed.
Patent holder: University of Hannover – University of Applied Sciences and Arts (Germany).
Contact
Dr. Mirza Mackovic
IP & Innovation Manager Technology
E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tel.: +49 551 30724 154
Reference: CPA-2666-HsH
Published: February 19, 2026.
