Restaurants near Stockholm are about to start using drones to deliver food thanks to a partnership between Swedish operator Tele2 and Foodora.

The IoT and 5G connected drones will deliver where possible to the customers’ property or garden and lowered with a cable from the drone. The first deliveries will take place this spring in Värmdö, outside Stockholm.

Foodora Air is a fleet of electric drones that, with the help of 5G technology from Tele2, will provide a fast and efficient delivery service of food from a number of restaurants in Värmdö. Swedish firm Aerit (aerit.io) has developed drones integrated into Foodora’s technology platform to create a seamless and efficient delivery experience connected with 5G technology from Tele2.

“This marks a new era in how people receive deliveries, and we believe we can see more applications in other industries,” said Stefan Trampus, executive vice president at Tele2. “For us at Tele2, the partnership with Foodora is a perfect example of how we can use our 5G connectivity and expertise to drive future delivery services in a simple, sustainable and smart way, while providing customers with an extraordinary experience.”

The drones have a range of 21km and emit 2g of carbon dioxide per kilometre, compared with traditional petrol or diesel-powered delivery vehicles that emit 143 and 110g of carbon dioxide per kilometre, respectively.

“Technology and connectivity have the potential to break many of the limitations that currently exist in rural areas, where access to various services and products has decreased in line with rapid urbanisation,” said Trampus.

Deliveries will commence in May in Värmdö, and food can be ordered through the Foodora app. The goal is to expand to more areas in Sweden so more locations can have access to the same service available in major cities.

“We are proud to be the first in Europe to launch real drone deliveries, and we are excited to have Tele2 and Aerit as partners on this exciting journey,” said Daniel Gustafsson Raba, director of operations at Foodora (www.foodora.com). “Fast home deliveries are a democratic issue, in my opinion. Regardless of where you are in the country, it should be possible to quickly get what you need, such as medicines or groceries. It should not only be available to people who have chosen to settle in big cities.”

Tele2 will provide continuous connectivity for the drones based on 5G IoT technology. Drones require both short response times and the ability to send and receive large amounts of data to handle deliveries safely, supported by 5G.

Tele2 (www.tele2.com) was founded in 1993 and in 2023 generated revenue of SEK29bn.