Yandex teams up with Russian Post for last-mile delivery automation
Yandex robots have begun delivering parcels as part of a partnership with Russian Post — Russia’s national postal operator and one of the largest postal operators in the world. With over 38,000 post offices throughout the country, just domestically the company handles over 108 million parcels a year.
The number of parcels has been constantly growing in recent years, and home delivery of parcels from post offices is also becoming more and more popular. To increase its speed and efficiency, as well as make its logistics more predictable, Russian Post is automating processes at all stages of the logistics chain. To automate last-mile delivery, Russian Post and Yandex have launched robot-based delivery in Moscow, where Yandex delivery robots will deliver parcels from 27 post offices in several districts of the city.
In total, 36 robots will deliver parcels as part of the pilot project. One or two robots will be assigned to each post office, depending on the office’s workload. All of the robots are third-generation — the latest model. The square shape of the cargo area is ideally suited to meet Russian Post shipping standards, and the replaceable battery ensures continuous operation. Russian Post staff will be responsible for charging and changing batteries, loading the parcels into robots, and noting the delivery address in the system, while Yandex employees will provide maintenance and remote support.
The choice of robot delivery is available to users through the Russian Post Android app. Upon receipt of a request, post office employees will load the parcel into the robot and indicate the delivery address in the system. The package will be delivered to the entrance of the building. While the robot is en route, the user can track its location on the map in the application, and upon the robot’s arrival, the user will receive a notification that their parcel can be picked up. The user will also receive a verification code via SMS that will have to be entered in the app, after which the robot will open the lid, and the parcel can be collected. The verification code acts as a digital signature and confirms that the recipient received their parcel, and it also ensures the security of items sent by post.
“Our autonomous robots are already being used for a wide range of tasks, not only in Russia but also in other countries,” says Artem Fokin, Head of Business Development for Self-Driving Technologies at Yandex. “The automation of parcel delivery by Russian Post, one of the world’s largest postal operators, is a logical step in the development of delivery, and we hope to scale this technology further.”
“The explosive growth of e-commerce is inevitably transforming delivery processes. Every part of the logistics chain can be automated, and technologies are changing processes at every stage: from the first to the last mile,” says Stanislav Chernin, Head of Innovation at Russian Post. “Russian Post is open to innovations that make our services more convenient for customers. We are delighted to pilot an autonomous delivery option, to create a business process and study it in detail.”
“We are excited to deploy our delivery robots across the various districts of Moscow,” says Valeriia Verkhovykh, Head of Product (Robotic Delivery). “They do not only revolutionize parcel delivery, but can also collect valuable information on the accessibility of the urban environment as they operate in different neighborhoods. This data can be shared with city officials, helping them identify areas for improvement and fostering a more connected, accessible, and inclusive community for all.”
