Living on a SeaPod comes with its own set of unique challenges and innovative solutions, especially when it comes to food.
CEO, Grant Romundt gives us an update on the drone delivery concept that has been in development for a while.
We get this question a lot: “Now that you’ve been living on the SeaPod for a while, how do you get food out there?” The answer is simpler than you might think: we have a full kitchen. In fact, I think we have one of the best kitchens I’ve ever had, complete with all the appliances and features you would expect. Plus, the views are unbeatable.
However, despite the great kitchen, I’m not much of a cook. I don’t enjoy it, and I prefer to spend my time on other activities. Initially, we had a creative solution in mind: a drone delivery service. We developed a prototype that works exceptionally well. It can carry a package about the size of a blue box we designed for testing, capable of holding at least six pounds, which is enough for a six-pack of beer and a pizza. This idea was intended to solve the delivery problem not just for food, but for all kinds of goods.
We’ve paused the drone project for a while, as it’s a big undertaking to roll out commercially. Regulatory challenges and the need for extensive testing mean it will take time before it’s fully operational. For the time being, we’ve found a more practical solution. I have a wonderful lady at the marina who cooks for me. She used to deliver food in disposable containers, but I didn’t like the waste it created. So, I bought collapsible, reusable containers from Amazon. They don’t take up much space and are perfect for my meals.
A boat comes by periodically to deliver these containers of food, which usually last me several days. For example, a delivery on Friday keeps me well-fed until Monday. This system works great for now, but we still see a lot of potential in drone deliveries.
One of the advantages of drones over the water is the reduced regulatory hurdles compared to flying over populated areas. There are fewer risks since there’s less chance of a drone causing harm if something goes wrong. This makes the SeaPod an ideal testing ground for drone delivery companies. We envision a future where drones can land on a designated area on the roof of the SeaPod, guided by special sensors and radio beacons, even in poor visibility.
The drones could not only deliver packages but also pick them up, acting as a courier service. This could revolutionize how we handle logistics on the SeaPod. Although we’re not there yet, drone technology is advancing rapidly, and we’re excited to see where it leads.
For now, our solutions include using a delivery boat and reusable containers, and of course, cooking on the SeaPod when we want to. We have some other innovative ideas in the works for food on the SeaPod, but we’ll save those for another update.
