A2Z Drone Delivery, Inc., a developer of commercial drone delivery solutions, has announced the release of new safety features and hardware upgrades for its RDS2 commercial drone delivery winch.

These enhancements, including a weatherproof cover and an auto-releasing bag hook, improve safety and operational capabilities, aiding in regulatory compliance for beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations. The updated RDS2 winch will be showcased at the XPONENTIAL 2024 expo in San Diego.

Aaron Zhang, CEO of A2Z Drone Delivery, emphasized the significance of these updates in meeting regulatory standards for autonomous missions. “With these enhancements, our clients can demonstrate to regulators that our commercial drone delivery systems are equipped to handle the complexities of modern aerial delivery safely,” said Zhang.

Among the newly added safety features is the Entanglement Auto-Detection, which autonomously detects tether entanglements and allows the system to safely abandon the tether to prevent damage to the drone. This feature can be customized to recognize different types of obstructions, whether at altitude or during the landing phase, enhancing safety across varied operational scenarios.

Additionally, the Overweight Payload Rejection feature ensures that the payload weight does not exceed the 5 kg limit, which is critical for maintaining safe flight conditions. This is particularly useful when picking up payloads from third parties, as it automatically confirms that the weights are within safe flying limits before proceeding with the mission.

The RDS2 now includes Tether Lifecycle Alerts, which notify operators when the winch’s tether, rated for up to 800 deliveries, requires replacement. This proactive feature helps maintain the system’s reliability and safety by ensuring that all components are in optimal condition for secure operations.