Robotics Business Review

  • Home
  • Analysis / Opinion
    • RBR Analysis
    • RBR Opinion
    • RBR Interviews
  • Business
    • Management
    • Workforce
    • Start-Ups
      • RBR Start-Up Profiles
      • RBR Start-Up Insights
    • Social Good
    • Investment
    • Transaction Database
  • Markets / Industries
    • Agriculture
    • Construction / Demolition
    • Consumer
    • Defense / Security
    • Energy / Mining
    • Health / Medical
    • Logistics / Supply Chain
    • Manufacturing
    • Public Safety
    • Retail
    • Robotics Development
    • Utilities
  • Resources
    • Websites
      • The Robot Report
      • Mobile Robot Guide
      • Collaborative Robotics Trends
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • Case Studies
    • Company Directory
    • Podcasts
    • Research
  • Events
    • Robotics Summit
    • RoboBusiness
    • Healthcare Robotics Engineering Forum
    • Robotics Weeks
    • RoboBusiness Direct
    • R&D 100
  • RBR50
    • RBR50 2022
      • RBR50 2022 Honorees
    • RBR50 2021
      • RBR50 2021 Honorees
      • RBR50 2021 Digital Edition
    • RBR50 2020
      • RBR50 2020 Honorees
      • RBR50 2020 Digital Edition

Domino’s DRU Pizza Delivery Robot Debuts in New Zealand

Domino’s DRU pizza delivery robot has four wheels, is less than three feet tall, and has a heated compartment that can hold up to 10 pizzas. It can deliver pizzas within a 12.5-mile radius before needing to be recharged. DRU is being tested in New Zealand.

By Steve Crowe | March 18, 2016

Say goodbye to your local pizza delivery boy.

Domino’s is testing a prototype pizza delivery robot in New Zealand, the fast food company announced. The Domino’s Robotic Unit (DRU) pizza delivery robot has four wheels, is less than three feet tall, and has a heated compartment that can hold up to 10 pizzas. It can deliver pizzas within a 12.5-mile radius before needing to be recharged.

Domino’s has been pretty innovative over the years – with everything but its food – and the DRU is quite impressive. It’s filled with thousands of dollars worth of military robotics technology, uses LIDAR to map its environment, and has built-in GPS tracking that syncs with Google Maps.

Lifehacker Australia reports DRU’s first deliveries were made in restricted streets permitted by the local transport authorities. DRU is locked to prevent people from stealing your pizzas, so when it arrives at your house you need to enter a code that opens DRU’s storage compartment.

Domino’s says it’s working with global partners to ensure the delivery droid meets the necessary requirements to be tested on roads and footpaths. Vehicles will start appearing in stores within the next six months, but it could take up to two years for pizza delivery shuttles to become a regular sight on the streets of Queensland.

“This is an exciting opportunity for New Zealand … over the last 12 months I’ve been actively and aggressively promoting New Zealand as a test bed for new transport technology trials,” Transport Minister Simon Bridges tells the AFP.

Some pizza lovers have expressed concerns on social media that DRU isn’t practical and won’t work. “I doubt this thing could outperform a car going 50k [30mph], be able to open gates, climb stairs, dodge homeless people or avoid opportunistic thieves ready to pull it apart,” wrote James Stewart on the Domino’s New Zealand Facebook page.

If only Domino’s spent as much time on its food as it did DRU, maybe it’d be on to something here.

Related Articles Read More >

Edge ML
Edge ML and Robotics Critical for Digitalization and Industrial Automation Initiatives
Robot Report Podcast
Blue River Technology’s Willy Pell on John Deere & Autonomous Tractors. Plus Cruise’s Robot Taxis
RGo Robotics – Start-Up Profile – Vision Based Perception Solution for Mobile Robots and More
RBR50
Robotics Business Review Announces 2022 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award Honorees
The Robot Report Listing Database

Robot Report Podcast

May 18, 2022
Robotics Summit 2022 recap
See More >
Robotics Business Review
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
  • Collaborative Robotics Trends
  • The Robot Report
  • Mobile Robot Guide
  • RoboBusiness Conference & Expo
  • Healthcare Robotics Engineering Forum
  • Robotics Summit Conference & Expo

Copyright © 2022 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Robotics Business Review

  • Home
  • Analysis / Opinion
    • RBR Analysis
    • RBR Opinion
    • RBR Interviews
  • Business
    • Management
    • Workforce
    • Start-Ups
      • RBR Start-Up Profiles
      • RBR Start-Up Insights
    • Social Good
    • Investment
    • Transaction Database
  • Markets / Industries
    • Agriculture
    • Construction / Demolition
    • Consumer
    • Defense / Security
    • Energy / Mining
    • Health / Medical
    • Logistics / Supply Chain
    • Manufacturing
    • Public Safety
    • Retail
    • Robotics Development
    • Utilities
  • Resources
    • Websites
      • The Robot Report
      • Mobile Robot Guide
      • Collaborative Robotics Trends
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • Case Studies
    • Company Directory
    • Podcasts
    • Research
  • Events
    • Robotics Summit
    • RoboBusiness
    • Healthcare Robotics Engineering Forum
    • Robotics Weeks
    • RoboBusiness Direct
    • R&D 100
  • RBR50
    • RBR50 2022
      • RBR50 2022 Honorees
    • RBR50 2021
      • RBR50 2021 Honorees
      • RBR50 2021 Digital Edition
    • RBR50 2020
      • RBR50 2020 Honorees
      • RBR50 2020 Digital Edition