Indiana company debuts first smart mailbox ready for drone delivery
Dronedek founder and CEO Dan O'Toole joined "Fox and Friends" to debut the drone delivery and discuss how the company has made smart mailboxes a reality.
The future of mail delivery arrived Tuesday morning on "Fox & Friends" with what co-host Lawrence Jones called "the world's first smart mailbox."
"This is the Dronedek, which is the next-generation mailbox," said Dronedek founder and CEO Dan O’Toole, as he demonstrated the service outside a brick commercial building on a rainy day in Lawrence, Indiana.
Co-hosts Jones, Steve Doocy and Ainsley Earhardt marveled at the moment of innovation from the New York City studio.
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A drone buzzed overhead as O’Toole pointed to a Dronedek delivery receptacle — basically, a large black mailbox.
There are smaller versions, he said, for residences.
The Dronedek consolidates "all delivery to one point, to include autonomous unmanned driverless vehicle delivery, robotic delivery, aerial drone delivery, as you can see here — as well as conventional delivery," said O’Toole.
A drone lowers a package into a Dronedek, the "next-generation mailbox" that's being piloted in Indiana, on "Fox and Friends" on August 9, 2022. (Fox News)
The audience watched as the top of the mailbox opened and the drone lowered a package on a cable into the container.
"So it tells the mailbox to open up. You drop the package down in the box and then the top closes," said co-host Earhardt.
"That’s correct," O’Toole said.
Dan O'Toole, founder and CEO of Dronedek, demonstrates his new mail-delivery system of the future in Lawrence, Indiana, on "Fox and Friends" on Tuesday, August 9, 2022. (Fox News)
"It’s sending an encrypted signal right now. It’s authenticating the right drone delivery and the right item to the right Dronedek," he said.
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"Once [the package] hits the bottom, it releases the payload. It comes up clean. The drone will tell the Dronedek that the item's been secured and the door will close. We'll send a notification to you that your item is safe and sound."
"Sweet!" proclaimed Doocy.
Fox & Friends hosts Steve Doocy, Ainsley Earhardt and Lawrence Jones welcomed Dronedek CEO Dan O'Toole on Tuesday, August 9, 2022. (Fox News)
"We just welcomed the U.S. Postal Service yesterday, which made their first delivery ever to a Dronedek," said O’Toole.
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"So it’s a very exciting moment for us."
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The delivery system's pilot program is being tested right now with four Dronedeks in the city of Lawrence, just northeast of Indianapolis.
