ELECTRIC VEHICLE AND DRONE INVESTING: Only 2% of vehicles are electric and autonomous. An even smaller percentage of drones are used for delivery and logistics purposes. The following companies may benefit from these trends.
Zebra Technologies ( ZBRA ): ” Some warehouses are turning to autonomous vehicles to bring merchandise to sortation and packing areas. Others are using drones and RFID for inventory management. The opportunities are seemingly limitless and include wearable technology, which enables truly hands-free, multi-modal workflows that result in greater worker efficiency and increased productivity. The market for enterprise wearable devices is expected to skyrocket with projected growth of 75% by 2021. “
XPO Logistics ( XPO ): ” Others [ companies like XPO Logistics ] utilizing innovative technology in logistics include, FedEx who has been utilizing robotics for small parcel deliveries to residential homes as well as trialing drone technology for urgent healthcare product deliveries in rural areas. In addition to FedEx, UPS has also been trialing drone deliveries for urgent healthcare products with successful residential and care home deliveries achieved. “
https://www.supplychaindigital.com/logistics-1/xpo-logistics-benefits-robotics
FedEx Corporation ( FDX ): ” Customers of FedEx who live within designated delivery zones in Christiansburg, Virginia, and who opt-in to the Wing delivery service, will be able to receive eligible packages via drone during the trial program, provided certain operating conditions are met. Wing’s pilot program also includes a collaboration with Walgreens, allowing program participants to order health and wellness products through Wing’s delivery app. “
United Parcel Service ( UPS ): ” UPS recently tested out home delivery via drone in the Tampa, Florida area, moving closer to a more automated delivery process. The HorseFly UAV drone took off from the roof of a modified UPS delivery truck, flew autonomously, dropped off the package and then returned to the vehicle, all while the driver separately continued on a delivery route. “
Dominos Pizza ( DPZ ): ” “We invested in this partnership, and technology, because we believe drone delivery will be an essential component of our pizza deliveries,” Mr Meij said. “
Needless to say, companies like Alibaba ( BABA ), Jumia ( JMIA ), Amazon ( AMZN ), MercadoLibre ( MELI ), Albermale ( ALB ), and MP Materials ( MP ) will benefit from increased demand for drone technology. ” The [ Alibaba ] test campaign will deliver ginger tea over a three-day period to 450 shoppers using Alibaba’s drone technology. “
Nvidia ( NVDA ), NXP Semiconductors ( NXPI ), and Qualcomm ( QCOM ): ” While hundreds of new commercial drone companies appear every month, Motley Fool identifies four publicly traded chip makers as stocks to watch for drone investors. Motley names Ambarella (NASDAQ:AMBA), NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA), Intel (NASDAQ:INTC), and Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM). “
ChargePoint ( IPO coming in Dec. 2020 ): ” ChargePoint, the world’s leading and most open electric vehicle (EV) charging network, today revealed a first-ever concept design for two megawatt, high-powered charging of electric aircraft and semi-trucks, including electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft. As the charging partner for Uber Elevate, ChargePoint made the announcement at the second annual Elevate Summit, which took place May 8-9 in Los Angeles. “
Amazon ( AMZN ): ” A mobile, mid-drive recharge offers an exciting way around having to search for a charger while on your getaway road trip. Even in cities, there is the possibility of getting stuck in traffic on low battery. But if you’ve got a line up of friendly neighborhood drones to top you off, there’s no issue; a patent application by Amazon for such a technology was recently approved. “
Boeing ( BA ): ” But now that major brands like Toyota, Uber, Hyundai, Airbus and Boeing are promising to whisk riders through the skies in flying taxis, the dream is getting closer to reality. The goal is to link urban centers with suburbs while leapfrogging traffic — air taxis could cruise at 180 mph at altitudes of around 1,000 ft to 2,000 ft. But NASA has reported they can go at an altitude up to 5,000 ft. “
Garmin Ltd. ( GRMN ): ” Diving deeper into the flying taxi market, we find that Uber Technologies, Boeing, and Garmin Ltd. GRMN are some of the key players. “
https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2018/10/02/bell-helicopter-air-taxi-garmin-navigation.html
Finally, companies like Uber ( UBER ) will help fill the skies with drones over the next couple of decades.
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