Worldpay is investigating the use of drone technology and 'contactless doormats' to combat the growing issue of parcel fraud.
Worldpay’s Drone Pay proof-of-concept uses EMV contactless payment card technology to verify the identity of the recipient, ensuring a parcel is delivered to the right person at the right address.
The technology is embedded into a drone landing pad, which is issued to the customer in the form of a doormat. When the drone lands to drop off the package, the card details stored within the doormat are read automatically. If the information matches that of the correct recipient, the parcel is released.
According to Citizens Advice, missing items was one of the most common problems with online shopping deliveries last year, with more than one in five (21%) online shoppers reporting the failed arrival of expected parcels.
Worldpay says that its own research suggests that consumers are ready to embrace drone delivery services, with 39% of a UK poll of 2000 citizens in favour of the concept.
Motie Bring, general manager for the UK, Global Enterprise eCommerce, at Worldpay, says: “Our data suggests that consumers are becoming increasingly open to the notion of drone delivery, but there are still several logistical hurdles that need to be addressed before it becomes mainstay. The weight of the package and flying distance both remain potential barriers to adoption, in addition to ensuring that parcels are delivered to the correct customer."