Jerusalem (AFP)

Sushi and beer almost fell from the sky.

Israel, a leader in the drone market, is embarking on deliveries, including take-out food and medical equipment, via these flying devices.

During a demonstration Monday, three drones, loaded with sushi and cans of beer, hum above Tel Aviv's skyscrapers, before descending on seaside landing pads.

The exercise, hosted by High Lander and Cando, two leading companies in the industry, was part of a NIS 20 million (roughly $ 6 million) project to promote Israeli drone technology.

"The idea is not to fly a drone but several, from different manufacturers, controlled by our software and that we make sure that they do not collide," explained to AFP the CEO of High Lander, Alon Abelson.

- "Reduce the pollution" -

Daniella Partem, project manager at the Israel Innovation Authority, explains that she imagines "thousands" of drones flying simultaneously in overcrowded cities of the future, delivering all kinds of products, from medicines to take-out meals, but also reinforcing police missions by taking photos, for example.

"Our goal is to create a competitive market in Israel that is not dominated by a single company," she explains.

Loading cans of drinks into a drone during a presentation in Herzliya, near Tel Aviv, on October 11, 2021 in Israel JACK GUEZ AFP

"If we can get vehicles off the road and put them in the air, we can act on traffic, we can reduce air pollution (...) we can create a better and safer environment for them. deliveries, ”she adds.

Drone expert Michael Horowitz, a political scientist at the University of Pennsylvania, says Israel is designing "civilian analogues" to military drones, devices that are smaller and smaller and able to move in groups.

"If an Israeli company develops an efficient local system for commanding and controlling drones, capable of including drones from different companies, it could potentially be of interest to a lot of people," he said.

Advances in civilian drones, he said, could help Israel regain market share in the drone sector, as rivals China and Turkey nibble at its military drone exports.

Mr. Abelson, of High Lander, says he has clients around the world, including Japan, South Korea, France, the United States, Israel and African countries.

An air traffic controller monitors screens during a drone delivery demonstration near Tel Aviv on October 11, 2021 in Israel JACK GUEZ AFP

Manoel Coelho, CEO of Brazilian drone company Speedbird Aero, told AFP he was using High Lander to "deconflictualize airspace" because the company is "one of the first in the world to do so. also organized manner ", in allusion to the risk of accidents.

Other projects are still at a very experimental stage.

Hadas Aharoni, 22, a controller at drone company Airwayz, watches dozens of autonomous drones flying over the northern city of Hadera from a control room in Tel Aviv, about 50 km away. South.

- Quick delivery -

“We can see the flight paths where drones take off and land, their height, their battery level and all kinds of issues that we have to solve to get the drones to their destination,” says Hadas Aharoni.

So far, its drones have only performed training missions.

Loading a delivery drone during a presentation in Herzliya, near Tel Aviv, on October 11, 2021 in Israel JACK GUEZ AFP

"We are in the process of making sure that this system will be safe for the future when there are more flights," adds Hadas Aharoni.

And Israeli companies seem to be there, with several experimenting with this new mode of delivery, such as the Japanika sushi chains or Golda ice creams.

For a week, the latter opened a beach-side pop-up store in Tel Aviv, allowing customers to scan a QR code and order ice cream delivered by a drone.

And for Talya Marder, Marketing Manager at Golda, the added value of drones is obvious.

“In less than ten minutes you can get your order, which you can't do with regular vehicles,” she explains.

© 2021 AFP