DroneWaves: How close is drone delivery to a last-mile solution?

Wingcopter aims to save and improve lives with drone deliveries

This fireside chat recap is from FreightWaves’ DroneWaves Summit on Friday.

FIRESIDE CHAT TOPIC: Drone Delivery: How close are we? 

DETAILS: In this session, Matt Stubbs, FreightWaves’ director of PR, talks with Wingcopter’s Bill Wimberley about developments in drone capabilities, safety and perception problems and how close we are to drones as a last-mile solution for delivery.

SPEAKERS: Wimberley is the head of business development at Wingcopter.

BIO: Wimberley is a serial entrepreneur and startup specialist in various tech industry disciplines including fintech, biotech and drone tech, otherwise known as unmanned aviation systems. As the head of business development for Wingcopter GmbH, based in Weiterstadt, Germany, he has responsibility for global business development, including strategic partnerships, and major account development. 

KEY QUOTES FROM WIMBERLEY:

“The market that [our drone] addresses directly is delivery. … We save and improve lives and that is really the heartbeat of the company. … We do a lot of medical delivery and a lot of parcel and package delivery and those things matter to people. … We love some of the humanitarian projects that we have done.”

“[In regard to the FAA] we will be type certified as an aircraft. We have to be partnered with a Part 135 operator. For example, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, various helicopter companies are all Part 135, which have earned the right to actually operate in the airspace. We have a couple of partners here in the U.S. that are those Part 135 operators and [with them], along with our type certified aircraft, is what allows [us] to enter into that airspace. … You can’t just go buy a drone like ours and take off and start flying.”

“There are smart city initiatives around the world. One of them is Dublin. They are one of the front-runners realizing their city is getting crowded with delivery trucks. … This is really another great advantage of drones, being able to take some of those [vehicles] off the road.”

Related Articles:

Wingcopter launches triple-drop delivery drone

Upcoming FreightWaves Events
Compliance

Brokerage Compliance Symposium

The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.

October 26, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
Awards

F3 Awards Dinner

The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.

October 26, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
FreightTech

F3: Future of Freight Festival

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

October 27, 2026 – October 28, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
Compliance Brokerage Compliance Symposium Oct 26 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now
Awards F3 Awards Dinner Oct 26 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now
FreightTech F3: Future of Freight Festival Oct 27 – Oct 28 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now

Grace Sharkey

Grace Sharkey is a professional in the logistics and transportation industry with experience in journalism, digital content creation and decision-making roles in the third-party logistics space. Prior to joining FreightWaves, Grace led a startup brokerage to more than $80 million in revenue, holding roles of increasing responsibility, including director of sales, vice president of business development and chief strategy officer. She is currently a staff writer, podcast producer and SiriusXM radio host for FreightWaves, a leading provider of news, data and analytics for the logistics industry. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Michigan State University. You can contact her at gsharkey@freightwaves.com.