Saving the World through Robotic Domination.

Have your packages ever been stolen? Damaged? Misdelivered? Do you have to wait all day for the delivery truck?  

The “Last Mile” of delivery, is where some of the biggest problems like porch pirating, damaged items, cost, and the environmental footprint come into play:

• World Economic Forum says that if we do nothing by 2030, carbon emissions from delivery traffic will increase by 32%, or about 6 million tons, and traffic congestion by 21%.
• CNBC says over a third of Americans have had packages stolen.
• Canopy Planet, estimates 3 BILLION trees are cut down every year to meet paper packaging demand, and Green Citizen says 240 thousand miles of bubble wrap is produced annually - that’s about the distance between Earth and the Moon! 

The “Last Mile” is time-consuming, expensive, and environmentally unfriendly. We set out to help improve this. 

Our solution — S.A.F.E. (Self-serve, Accessible, Flexible, and Eco-friendly), is a trailer with built-in racks of lockers that roll easily in and out. S.A.F.E. uses inflatable lockers to ensure your package isn’t damaged in transport. 

Unlike stationary lockers or traditional doorstep delivery, our solution completely eliminates extra warehouse packaging and streamlines the loading process, reduces emissions and last mile delivery cost, and gives customers earlier access to their purchases. 

Our Impact:

• With S.A.F.E., the # of trucks and drivers needed would decrease by about 7 to 1. In a year, emissions would be reduced by 327 tons for each S.A.F.E. truck deployed. 
• Each S.A.F.E. trailer eliminates packaging for over 33 thousand parcels per year, for 1000 trailers that’s well over 33 Million packages. 
• S.A.F.E. keeps items secure until they are picked up, virtually eliminating porch pirating.   

The S.A.F.E. Delivery System is cost effective for retailers, convenient for customers, and environmentally friendly for us all. 

So the next time you order online, we hope you’ll consider the impact your choices make on the environment, and look for the S.A.F.E. Delivery Service in your neighborhood soon! 

Learn more about packaging waste and delivery truck emissions:

• EPA - Facts and Figures about Materials, Waste and Recycling [https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/national-overview-facts-and-figures-materials]
• 7 Cardboard Recycling Facts [https://generated.com/cardboard-recycling-facts/]
• A Definitive Guide to Recycle Bubble Wrap [https://greencitizen.com/recycle-bubble-wrap/]
• Canopy Planet [https://canopyplanet.org/] 

If you don’t know what Stormwater Management is, you might think: “What’s the Big Deal? It’s Just Water, Right?”. WRONG! Stormwater and Stormwater Run-off pollutes the water and is unhealthy for humans and animals, and it affects us every day right here in our community. 

There are thousands of stormwater management facilities in Montgomery county MD alone. Many of those, like that illustrated at the right, become clogged and damaged over time, making them less effective. Manual maintenance is costly and inefficient. We are developing robotic solutions to make it possible to inspect, clean, and repair facilities more regularly and cheaply. 

There are also simple things you can do right in your own community to help reduce run-off. Here are a few: 

• Pick up pet waste
• Redirect downspouts the water empties onto a lawn or landscaped area
• Use a rain barrel at the bottom of a down spout to water your garden (you may even be eligible for a rebate in some areas like ours!)
• Test your soil so you apply the right amount of fertilizers
• Replace paved areas or lawns with landscaping or trees
• Use pervious pavement for your driveway
• Add a rain garden to your yard

For more ideas, check your local government websites for information in your community’s stormwater efforts. Here are a couple from our area:

• https://www.rockvillemd.gov/569/Stormwater
• https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/water/stormwater/index.html