DPD unveils robot courier that could potentially take on human delivery drivers

A robot courier has been launched that could potentially take on human delivery drivers.

Parcel delivery firm DPD has announced it has begun using an autonomous “locker on wheels’”. The company has already rolled out robot deliveries to a number of UK towns and cities, with the six-wheeled gadget able to take items from a depot to a drop-off. But the newly launched Ottobot is larger, with a maximum payload of 70kg and eight separate compartments that can carry parcels of varying sizes. It means it can make a number of deliveries on each outing, in the same way a human courier would.

The robot features multiple sensors and cameras, plus cutting-edge software, to enable it to navigate its way around autonomously. Once the locker robot has completed a mapping process, it sets out on its own. Recipients will receive an text message when it is outside their property and can then use a secure one-time pin code to open the robot and access their parcel. The robot’s battery lasts up to six hours, with the ability to keep swapping it for a new fully charged one at the depot, to keep it on the road.

The first robot will be deployed in Milton Keynes, where DPD has been operating autonomous robot deliveries since July 2022. It will be based at DPD’s depot in the Knowlhill area and navigate the city’s traffic-free Redway network to get to nearby residential neighbourhoods.

Tim Jones, director of marketing, communications and sustainability at DPD UK, said: “This is the next chapter for us in terms of autonomous deliveries after a very successful roll-out across a number of different locations. It’s well over two years now since we began autonomous robot deliveries and the customer feedback continues to be incredibly positive. We’ve also learned a lot in terms of how best to deploy the and how to maximise the effectiveness of the robots day to day.”

He went on: “Ottobot potentially gives us a massive uplift in terms of productivity, with the ability to deliver up to eight parcels at a time before the robot needs to return to the depot to be reloaded. “As always when we invest in new innovation, we want to learn fast and try new things, so we will be looking at how Ottobot could double-up as an additional, mobile parcel drop-off point for customers.”

Ritukar Vijay, founder and boss of Ottonomy, the firm behind the robot, said: “It is fantastic to see Ottobot deployed in the UK parcel delivery market.”

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