Fore! Israel drone system to drop food to North Dakota golfers
Tech startup Flytrex, which also services hungry Icelanders, contracted to make sure those playing the Kings Walk Golf Course don’t have to rough it on the fairway
Shoshanna Solomon was The Times of Israel's Startups and Business reporter
Israel’s Flytrex, a startup that uses drones to deliver sushi, hamburgers and beer to hungry Icelanders, is now setting its sights on bringing food and drinks to famished golfers in the US.
The drone maker has struck up a partnership with North Dakota’s King’s Walk Golf Course and EASE Drones, a US provider of drone services, to launch what they are hailing as “the first fully operational golf course drone delivery system in the US.”
The service will enable patrons to order food and beverages from the course’s clubhouse restaurant, Eagle’s Crest Bar & Grill, straight to the greens, and have their items lowered directly to them.
The new service is set to cut back on waiting time, as the restaurant staff will no longer need to bring customers food and beverages to their locations, Flytrex said in a statement.
“The sky’s the limit when it comes to drone capabilities,” said Yariv Bash, CEO of Flytrex in the statement. “From delivering snacks and beverages to golfers, to assisting in search and rescue operations, to performing key inspections, drones are being incorporated into all aspects of life. This is the first of many projects we have planned in the U.S.”
“Golf is a sport with deep-rooted traditions and there’s great interest in using technology to enhance this experience,” he said. “We are excited to be working with the innovative team at King’s Walk to make this inaugural launch a hole-in-one.”
To make use of the system, golfers use the Flytrex Golf app to select the food and beverage items they’d like to order for delivery. After choosing from nearby pre-approved drop-off sites, golfers place their order and get a confirmation notification. The clubhouse restaurant receives the order, wraps it up, and the package is loaded into the drone by a Flytrex technician and takes flight.
The phone app provides the customer with the ongoing status of the order in real-time. The drone arrives at the drop-off point and remains airborne, awaiting confirmation that the customer is in position nearby. Once confirmed, the drone lowers the order by wire to the ground.
To ensure compliance with existing legislation, the drones will be operating within line of sight and will fly over specific routes without people below, Flytrex said in a statement.
King’s Walk Golf Course is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Bill Palmiscino, executive director of the Grand Forks Park District, said the partnership with Flytrex will help “pioneer the golf course of the future.”
