Hyperloop for cargo aims to deliver at over 600 mph

A delivery revolution may be on the horizon, if a recent announcement out of Dubai comes to fruition.

PHOTO: Next Future Transportation

Related Article Dubai's big plans to revolutionize how we travel

A collaboration between Virgin Hyperloop One, the US-based startup, and Emirati supply chain firm DP World, is looking to shake up the freight industry by using super-fast capsules for land cargo transportation. Called DP World Cargospeed, the venture claims it will be able to “deliver freight at the speed of flight and close to the cost of trucking.” No details of freight prices have been announced thus far.

Hyperloop’s all-electric technology – still in its testing phase – uses a sealed capsule inside a vacuum tube, propelled by magnetic levitation. The low pressure environment reduces drag, allowing high speeds to be achieved. Originally conceived by entrepreneur Elon Musk, the idea is being developed by a number of companies. So far Virgin Hyperloop One’s test capsule has reached speeds of 387 kmph (240 mph), but the company predicts it will send cargo at a top speed of 1,000 kmph (621 mph).

In a blog post by Virgin Hyperloop One CEO Rob Lloyd, he calculated a four-day truck journey could be cut to 16 hours. While costs are estimated to run 50% higher than truck transit, Cargospeed believes it can be over five-times cheaper than air freight.

The Hyperloop One system is designed for both freight and passenger use. Virgin Hyperloop One is negotiating projects in the UAE, India and Saudi Arabia – all are vying for the first fully-functional line. A route between central Dubai and Abu Dhabi would cut the journey time from a 90-minute drive to 12 minutes.

A rendering of a DP Cargospeed route with drones and trucks working within the supply chain. Drone delivery services are taking off in Dubai, and are just one way drones are becoming integrated into everyday life. Scroll through to discover more innovative drones around the world.

PHOTO: DP World

Parrot Bebop Pro Thermal —  

Parrot's thermal edition drone can provide a live feed identifying heat signatures, such as those given off by a human body, or the hot spots of a burning building. As an inspection tool manually controlled by humans, it can be used by first-responders and in disaster-relief efforts. Read more.

PHOTO: Parrot

JEM Internal Ball —  

No gravity? No problem. The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency's JEM Internal Ball was dispatched to the International Space Station in June 2017 to take photos and videos of astronauts at work. If that sounds like vanity, it's estimated ISS occupants spend approximately 10% of their working hours photographing their findings. Read more.

PHOTO: JAXA/NASA

Ambulance Drone —  

Capable of speeds of 100 kmph (62 mph), Delft Technical University's ambulance drone prototype carries a defibrillator which can be dispatched for use in the event of a heart attack. Read more.

PHOTO: BAS CZERWINSKI/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

Exponent Technology Services —  

In Dubai, Exponent Technology Services trialed food delivery by drone, flying out 900 burgers in just one day.

PHOTO: Courtesy Exponent Technology Services

Plan Bee —  

Honeybee decline is a worrying issue, integral as they are to pollination. Industrial design major Anna Haldewang has developed a drone called Plan Bee, which mimics the action of a bee, sucking pollen from one plant and expelling it onto others to enable cross-pollination. Read more.

PHOTO: SCAD

The Little Ripper UAV —  

In January 2018 in New South Wales, Australia, the Little Ripper UAV proved vital in rescuing two men caught in rough surf. Lifeguards used the drone to drop an inflatable life preserver in minutes, which the swimmers clung on to to make it to shore. Read more.

Airdog ADII —  

In extreme sports, headcams are so passé. The Airdog ADII drone will follow riders on snow, water, dirt track -- wherever -- using a GPS-enabled wristband capturing aerial shots while you make your aerial moves. Read more.

PHOTO: AirDog

Volocopter —  

Dubai is a playground for future transport prototypes. The 18-rotor autonomous Volocopter was trialled in the emirate in 2017 and reportedly has a flight time of 30 minutes and cruising speed of 30 mph -- enough to get you from the airport to the Burj Al Arab with time to spare. Read more.

PHOTO: Volocopter/RTA

Amazon Prime Air —  

Amazon has been making significant headway in drone deliveries, with the first drop in the UK occurring in 2016. In 2017 a patent application emerged showing details of a system for safe air drop in back yards -- even involving tiny parachutes. Read more.

PHOTO: CNNMoney

UPS —  

Amazon isn't the only delivery company dipping into drones. UPS demonstrated a human-drone tag team system with integrated storage and launch facilities built into one of their iconic brown vans. Read more.

PHOTO: UPS

SkyDrive —  

Still in development, the SkyDrive from the Cartivator Project, a Tokyo non-profit, hopes to play a key part in the 2020 Olympic Games. With three wheels and four rotors, the car-drone hybrid will hopefully be the vehicle of choice for the lucky individual tasked with lighting the Olympic flame. Read More.

PHOTO: Cartivator

Zipline —  

Drone medication delivery in the developing world is an increasingly hot topic. Rwanda has embraced the technology and approved the world's first drone port, while manufacturer Zipline is working with the Ministry of Health to supply pockets of the country with much-needed items -- starting with blood. Read more.

Flirtey —  

In Virginia, 2015, an Australian-made Flirtey drone was approved to supplying a rural pop-up clinic with medication. Read more.

PHOTO: Tim C. Cox

Hubsan X4 —  

Drone racing is a big deal. It has its own series -- the Drone Racing League -- featured on ESPN, and is a fast-growing sport. The Hubsan X4 has a point-of-view camera and some nifty moves. Read more.

PHOTO: hubsan

Workhorse SureFly —  

With eight rotors and two seats, the SureFly is one of the larger drone taxi prototypes out there. Touted as a replacement for the helicopter, its makers aim for a competitive target price of $200,000. Watch more.

PHOTO: CNN

GimBall —  

The GimBall won the $1 million first prize in the 2015 "Drones for Good" competition. It is designed to access hard-to-reach areas such as burning buildings and nuclear disaster sites. Its robust outer structure means it is the first "collision-tolerant" drone in the world, according to is creators -- Swiss company Flyability. Read more.

PHOTO: Courtesy EPFL

Raining beer —  

An ill-feted venture in Minnesota saw ice fishers and local brewers rebuked for using drones to deliver beer cases in 2014. Beer company Lakemaid ran afoul of the Federal Aviation Administration because flying drones for commercial purposes at 400 feet or higher was against the law. Stock up on dry land next time, guys. Read more.

PHOTO: Lakemaid

Aerix Aerius —  

Manufacturers once boasted of drones that could fit in the palm of your hand. The Aerix Aerius takes that claim to new levels with this, the world's smallest quadcopter at just 1.2-inches wide. Ok, so it might not change your life, but other small drones, like the PD-100 Black Hornet, used by the US military, could. Read more.

PHOTO: Aerix Drones

Blade Nano QX —  

The Blade Nano QX is small by name, small in nature. Without a camera it's one for drone puritans and like Mihir Garimella's Google Science Fair-winning invention, is well equipped to avoid obstacles mid-flight. Read more.

PHOTO: Blade

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According to the Washington Post, one proposed idea by DP World is to use hyperloop technology to transport cargo away from Dubai’s busy Jebel Ali port for storage in the desert surrounding the city.

Richard Branson, who became chairman of Virgin Hyperloop One in 2017, cited the growth of e-commerce as the driving factor behind “a dramatic shift in both consumer and business behavior” – and to which the delivery business is adapting.

Careem's food delivery app

PHOTO: Courtesy of Careem

Related Article Desert heat lights a fire under Dubai's food delivery market

Global e-commerce is predicted to grow to a $4.1 trillion industry by 2020, and the desire for rapid delivery is becoming an expectation. Lloyd says express delivery for high-priority shipments alone is estimated to become a $516 billion business by 2025.

In the announcement, time-sensitive goods such as food and medical supplies were highlighted as items that could benefit from hyperloop’s speed. Renders released with the announcement suggest there are plans to integrate drone delivery into the supply chain too.

Dubai has become an incubator for transport innovation in recent years, including a number of autonomous vehicles both on air and land.

In February this year a full-scale prototype hyperloop pod was unveiled by the Dubai Road and Transport Authority, with officials speculating a Dubai-Abu Dhabi service could accommodate about 10,000 people every hour.

Dubai’s hyperloop route is yet to be announced, but Lloyd says the venture aims to have an operational system in service by 2021.