The Food Chain Food by drones?
Nov 13, 2025
Ville Lepalä, CEO of Huuva Food Hall, pilots drone deliveries in Helsinki, facing operational limits but excited about suburban convenience. Bobby Healy from Manna Aero dives into the tech side, revealing plans to scale operations and overcome regulatory hurdles. Shantanu Chakraborty shares his experience delivering aid via drone to flood-affected remote areas in India, highlighting its life-saving potential. Hedley Tarr discusses the UN’s use of drones in Madagascar for humanitarian efforts, focusing on community safety and engagement.
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Real-World Drone Meal Pickup
- Danny Vincent ordered a Big Mac, fries and juice from Meituan's Keta Drone service in Hong Kong and collected it from a waterfront vending cabinet.
- The drone landed into the cabinet, released the box, and Danny retrieved a warm meal after about 12 minutes.
Fast Suburban Drone Drop In Finland
- Ville Lepalä's Huuva Foodhall sends orders by drone up to roughly three kilometres, delivering in about 30 seconds of flight time.
- The drone lowers the bag on a cord from around 15 metres while a camera ensures nobody is hit during the drop.
Suburbs Are Drone Delivery Sweet Spot
- Bobby Healy's Manna Aero runs hundreds of suburban flights daily and expects millions of yearly deliveries by 2026.
- He argues drones work best in suburbs where landing space exists and delivery times fall to around three minutes.