DRONE logistics company Skyports Drone Services is adding cash-to-master services to its suite of ship-to-shore services.

The CTM service was announced today at the annual Singapore Maritime Week event. The company carried out a demonstration of the service at the Maritime Drone Estate.

Attendees were shown the full flight process, from the placement of a delivery slot by the vessel master, to the electric aircraft’s arrival back at shore.

A trial period of the CTM service was carried out between January and April, during which Skyports Drone Services worked with Pacific Carriers to demonstrate the service’s capabilities.

The service is being introduced as a part of the drone operator’s permanent line up of services offered in Singapore and South Korea.

Skyports Drone Services APAC general manager Sanjay Suresh said the introduction of drone cash-to-master services is a significant milestone for us and the industry.

“Given the sensitive nature of the cargo, there is an even greater need to design a process that ensures a secure chain of custody, while still making the service a light-touch and easily integrated process,” he said.

“All our work is underpinned by the commitment to realising greater connectivity, safety and efficiency standards through drone technology, and we are excited to be bringing this much-needed service to our customers in Singapore, Korea and other regions in time to come.”

According to Skyports, ensuring a secure chain of custody is paramount in the delivery of cash out to vessels. Digitalising the process from the point of order to completion via the order management system, together with mandatory user authentication via a one-time code to unlock the drone’s payload bay upon landing on the vessel, ensures efficiency and secure tracking of the parcel from start to finish.

Pacific Carriers senior general manager Tan Kian Chai said: “Our work with Skyports Drone Services has demonstrated the ability of drone delivery technology to create a safer environment for the vessels under our charge, while also safeguarding the security of cash deliveries. We’ve received positive feedback from our vessel masters and believe that the adoption of maritime drones reduces emission which underscores our decarbonisation efforts towards a greener environment.”