Fairfax rolling out robotic delivery program amid coronavirus outbreak

If you’ve seen one of these robots meandering down the streets of Old Town Fairfax, it’s not lost.

Three of these robots from Starship Technologies are mapping the core of Old Town Fairfax, in a one-mile radius from Main Street and Chain Bridge Road.

Fairfax City has begun developing a pilot program that would involve these robots delivering food from Old Town restaurants to residents who are at-risk due to their age or compromised immune systems. This project follows Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s Executive Order, ordering Virginia residents to temporarily stay at home to combat the coronavirus outbreak through June 10.

Because they can travel for up to a mile, these robots have an opportunity to serve multiple homes.

The city staff that is partnering with Starship Technologies are hoping to get the robots rolling on Thursday, April 16. They anticipate that residents will be able to utilize the delivery service by downloading an app and order directly from participating city businesses.

Fairfax City Director of Economic Development Christopher Bruno told Potomac Local News that they plan to start with a small number of robots and a small number of city businesses that will offer goods. City staff will then monitor operations such as demand and use of the service.

“[The] Safety of our residents, motorists, bicyclists, and of course the drones is our priority,” said  Bruno.

Initially, the robots will only deliver food, but the idea is to expand this to a form of grocery and convenience service. Fairfax City officials are currently working to figure out the logistics of this expansion.

It is unclear if restaurant owners will have to pay a fee to participate in the robot delivery service. Bruno told Potomac Local News that there will be a small delivery fee, and the city is potentially looking at some form of support to help Fairfax City-based businesses.

Bruno says their focus lies on providing a way for businesses that are struggling through this emergency to connect with residents who need access to these businesses.

One the governor’s stay-at-home order is lifted, Bruno the city will evaluate how the project worked, and if they want to keep it going. They’ll be monitoring the cleanliness of the robots as they roam around the sidewalks.

“The use of delivery robots, by its nature, reduces the likelihood of human-to-human interaction.  So, that is a big factor right off the bat. Likewise, restaurants should be monitoring the hygiene and cleanliness of their food preparation locations,” said Bruno.

In 2017, Virginia became the first state to pass legislation to allow delivery robots to operate on sidewalks. The law allows cities like Fairfax to regulate how the robots operate, regulating the robots’ speed of travel and the delivery routes they use.

George Mason University’s Fairfax Campus made headlines when they became the first college campus to use the state-of-the-art robot delivery service in January 2019.

The public research university launched 25 robots at the beginning of the Spring 2019 semester, allowing anyone on the campus to order from one of the many campus restaurants using the Starship Deliveries app. Users pay for their food orders as well as a small delivery fee through the app, and can expect their food to be delivered within 30 minutes.

The robots are not allowed in the campus buildings, so users must meet them at the door. The robots secure orders with a locking function, and can only be unlocked with through the app upon arrival.