Virginia Girl Scout troop uses drones to pass pandemic hurdles
CHRISTIANBURG, Va. - Pivot has been the name of the game during the pandemic – and one Girl Scout troop in Virginia is getting on board, jumping into the age of constant door-to-door delivery service in a unique way.
The Girl Scouts – like a number of institutions – had to find a new way to do things during the pandemic.
They were facing a 30 to 40 percent drop in sales for favorites like samoas and thin mints.
The dip in sales meant less money for community projects and future trips.
But the new partnership between Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline and Google’s drone company Wing is already boosting sales.
Christiansburg, Va. has been serving as a test case for Wing since 2019 – with people ordering deliveries from coffee shops, eateries even Walgreens... through an app on their phones.
In 2020, deliveries increased more than 500%.
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And studies show that the residents are enthusiastically receptive.
A Virginia tech survey found 87% of Christiansburg residents are in favor of the service.
Right now there’s no delivery fee, and the drones carry about 3 pounds - or several boxes of cookies.
The deliveries are happening in several other towns worldwide, but no word on when the service may expand in the U.S.