Zipline says its delivery drones now use an onboard sound model to pick the quietest way to fly in real time, a change it has rolled out across its whole fleet, Robotics & Automation News reports.
Together with other hardware and software changes, the company says this cuts overall sound exposure per flight by 68% and makes flights 24% quieter at peak volume than its 2025 fleet, based on its internal modelling.
When a drone takes off, its weather sensors measure the wind, and the sound model works out the quietest way to switch to flying on its fixed wing, for example by dipping its nose to pick up speed. Zipline says flights are now 53 seconds shorter on average and use 21% less energy.
Keenan Wyrobek, Zipline's co-founder and chief technology officer, said the company wants people "to love having Zipline available, not just tolerate it".
Background
Zipline
Organization
Zipline has raised $1.5 billion at a $21.5 billion valuation, and Walmart is adding 300 more drone delivery sites.
