Rhenus Air & Ocean and Wings for Aid have signed a partnership to bridge the last mile to deliver relief goods to disaster areas.

Connecting the last mile in disaster areas can be a major logistical problem, something Wings for Aid aims to address with unmanned small aircraft and smart technology to allow self-landing boxes to land with greater precision.

Rhenus Air & Ocean will look after the logistics needs to get the delivery system to its destination quickly and efficiently.

The system can also be used for the planned supply of medicines in remote areas, with tests delivering 20 kilos of emergency aid per flight in the Dominican Republic in 2018.

Based on the results, work is now underway on the next generation of unmanned aircraft capable of carrying 120 kilos per flight over a distance of 250 kilometres and returning for the next flight.

Further tests will be carried out in the summer of 2019.

Frank Roderkerk, regional manager air & ocean Benelux of Rhenus Group says: “The goal of our partnership is to combine our growth ambition, by offering innovative logistics solutions, with the drive to also have a positive social impact.”

Barry Koperberg, director of Wings for Aid says: “Our goal is to provide emergency aid where no one else can, and to be there within 48 hours, anywhere in the world. The strength and network of Rhenus Air & Ocean will help us achieve that ambition.”