The now & future of logistics

I began writing on technology in the logistics and supply chain space almost 2 years. However, my focus fell through the cracks with other interests, majoring in building my content marketing career.

Am back now with a bang, re-launching this new platform. The focus is to break down complex topics in the industry for professionals and logistics tech enthusiasts like me.

Here are the topics I would love to keep tabs on, and I hope you (a subscriber & patron) would like to be educated on;

• Autonomous trucking

• Warehousing robotics & automation

• Drones & droids delivery

• AI in logistics & supply chain

• Blockchain in supply chain & logistics

Today’s number: 38 million miles for almost a decade now. Here is what you learn in this edition.

• Zipline shows off its Platform 2 (P2)

• AI to secure physical supply chain risks

• Nimble in the news.

Here is the breakdown.

In The Box

Zipline unveils its next-gen drone 

Since Zipline's inception in 2014, the leading drone delivery company has completed 38 million miles.

From the first delivery in Rwanda, supplying blood to medical centers, now to the US with the next-generation autonomous electric drone.

On Wednesday, Zipline launched a new electric aircraft dubbed Platform 2 or P2 Zip. The goal is to make rapid aerial deliveries across the United States. The delivery droid is unique in the following ways:

• Capability to carry 8 pounds of cargo within ten miles radius

• Hovering 300 feet above the ground to drop a ‘delivery droid ‘ container carrying the package.

• P2 Zip can dock and power up autonomously in the charging station

Zipline will continue producing its original IP drone P1 Zip. These drones deliver 5 pounds of cargo packages over a longer distance of 60 miles radius. The downside that P2 Zip has improved on includes manual dissembling at the station and the weight of the package.

Logistics networks: Rwanda, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and the United States (North Carolina, Arkansas, & Utah).

Partners who will be testing deliveries using P2 Zip include:

• Government of Rwanda

• Wash

• Fast-casual restaurant Sweetgreen

• Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City

• Multicare Healthcare System in Tacoma

• Michigan Medicine

Competitors executing last-mile drone delivery include; Flytrex and DroneUp which have partnered with Walmart.

Technology

Overhaul raises $73m for AI to secure physical supply chain risks

The Suez Canal blockage in March 2021 proved to the world the physical risks in the supply chain.

After their FreightWatch start-up got acquired by Sensitech in 2012, Barry Conlon and Davis Broe still saw a gap in the supply chain market. In 2016, the two launched Overhaul - an AI software that attempts to provide visibility on supply chain delays.

Overhaul provides alerting and performance monitoring alongside basic organizational tools like checklists.

This week, Overhaul announced a $73 million fund-raising in equity and debt. Here is the breakdown of the funding.

• $38 million led by Edison Partners

• Other participants include; StepStone Group, eGateway Capital, and TRM Ventures

• $35 million loan from Stifel Bank

The start-up has now raised a total of $100 million.

The competition:  Atlana raised $100m some months ago and Tive which also crossed $54m last year.

Inbox News

The adoption of warehousing automation has been low even though there is increased demand. Some of the shortcomings of this issue include the high costs required to install the new systems while scrapping the old infrastructure.

However, Nimble Robotics’ purpose is to solve these problems with a fully automated and nationwide fulfillment system. This week, the autonomous logistic firm announced a $65 million fundraising bringing the total Series B to $115 million.

The support led by Clear Pine and participation of the investors like DNS Capital, GSR Ventures, and Breyer Capital will support the San Francisco Bay Area start-up to build a network of robotic fulfillment centers for e-commerce stores.

To Inbox family

Okerosi Davis