“Dayton is hot,” Mims said. “That’s why we continue to have more and more investments.”
Credit: Marshall Gorby
Credit: Marshall Gorby
What is DEXA?
DEXA is an autonomous drone delivery company based in the Gem City, with an operation in Winston-Salem, N.C.
“We’re not just pioneers in the field of drone technology — we’re revolutionizing the way goods are delivered, and we’re here to share the future of delivery with you," the company’s website states. “Our commitment to innovation, efficiency, and sustainability has driven us to create a seamless and dynamic drone delivery service that addresses the evolving needs of our modern world.”
The company is in the process of becoming certified as an FAA Part 135 Air Carrier. This will allow their autonomous vehicles to operate beyond visual line of sight, reducing labor costs associated with traditional delivery methods.
“If you want to fly cargo for compensation, it’s just like FedEx, DHL or even Delta Airlines, you need what’s called a domestic carrier’s license,” said DEXA CEO Beth Flippo. “It is as difficult as it sounds. It takes years to achieve, but it means that your operation is safe.”
Credit: Marshall Gorby
Credit: Marshall Gorby
When asked how soon the company could get the certification, Flippo called it “imminent.”
“We’re at the final tail end and that’s why we’re looking for partners now to start doing this,” Flippo said.
A convenient option
In June 2021, DEXA teamed up with Kroger in Centerville to offer drone-flown deliveries. A year later, the company partnered with Winsupply to deliver products from the Winsupply Distribution Center in Miami Twp. to the Centerville Winsupply.
Its latest partnership with the Dublin Pub shows how restaurant and convenience items can be delivered to homes within a one-mile radius in just 15 minutes.
So people could watch both ends of Thursday’s demonstration, DEXA’s delivery in this case went from the Oregon District restaurant to a field outside Dayton Towers, just to the east.
“The drone flies at 40 mph and its battery life is about 35 minutes,” Flippo said. “We say there and back is about 15 minutes, so we do four deliveries an hour per aircraft.”
DEXA has built an online marketplace similar to DoorDash or Instacart where retailers can put their goods on its site.
For $5.99 a month, customers can get unlimited deliveries with no minimum order quantities or tipping, Flippo said.
Credit: Marshall Gorby
Credit: Marshall Gorby
Steve Tieber, owner of the Dublin Pub, said he was honored to be a part of the effort.
“I told them we were 100% in,” Tieber said. “It’s going to be very similar to a DoorDash or Grubhub delivery system.”
Carryout orders make up about 5% of the Dublin Pub’s business. Tieber typically sees business-related carryout orders throughout the week. Others are mostly dinners and weekends.
There are still logistics to figure out like what size and type of container works best, but Tieber believes this is the future.
A bright future for drone delivery
“Drone delivery is sustainable and what’s amazing about it is that every single delivery by drone is the same cost and the same time anywhere in the world,” Flippo said. “There is no traffic. There is no human element. There’s nothing to slow it down.”
The drones DEXA uses are fully autonomous — where the drone flies itself. Flippo said they do have a remote pilot in command that watches each flight and makes sure everything is safe.
“If there were any concerns, they would be able to handle it, but they handle it from a remote screen,” Flippo said. “There are no handheld controls on this aircraft.”
DEXA’s DE-2020 hexacopter drone is manufactured at their facility in Dayton.
“It’s going to change the game,” Flippo said.
Mims believes drone delivery could be the next big thing because there are times when people do not want to travel and would rather have something delivered. He said this technology can not only be used in the food and restaurant industry, but other industries such as automotive.
“With Dayton being the heart of innovation, we’ll be looking at more and more ideas at how we can use this,” Mims said.
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