The drone, which weighs 23kg including the cargo, is described by Manna CEO and founder Bobby Healy as “the size of a golden retriever dog with propellers"

"Fast" food is taking to new heights from Friday in West Dublin as Manna launches its drone delivery service to nearly 150,000 customers.

Customers within a 4km radius of food outlets close to Blanchardstown Shopping Centre will now be able to receive their coffee and fast food orders within three minutes via a drone.

The drone, which weighs 23kg including the cargo, is described by Manna CEO and founder Bobby Healy as “the size of a golden retriever dog with propellers,” and will operate from 8am to 9pm Friday to Sunday and 4pm to 9pm on weekdays.

“And customers needn’t worry as they won’t need to tip their drones nor will the drones eat their food on the way to their homes,” Bobby quipped.

However, the cost of having food delivered by a drone on the Manna app is €4.99.

Linking up with Boojum Mexican fast food chain in Blanchardstown as one of its first clients Manna made a delivery in less than three minutes to a home 4km away in Castleknock where couple Dermot and Rachel Malone and their seven month old daughter Mila ordered burritos.

The burritos and a can of coke were delivered to their back garden by the drone which hoovered overhead while lowering the package down via a string which the drone then cut when the package was safely on the ground.

“It’s very cool,” said Dermot. “We like to do our own cooking but we like to treat ourselves to a delivery and this delivery service makes the decision very easy. It’s great to get my Boojum within three minutes so it’s very appealing. It feels like future, space odyssey stuff.”

The drones, which can operate in lashing rain and up to 40km winds, are fitted with parachutes so if something went wrong the parachute would be deployed and the drone brought to the ground safely, said Bobby, adding there is “zero chance of a drone hitting someone.”

And no harm has come or will come to seagulls or other birds flying around as, according to Bobby, “seagulls have no interest in the drones because they know the drones are not a threat or a danger to them.”

The drones only fly to heights of up to 60 metres so will not interfere with flight paths, Bobby said.

From Friday four drones will officially operate from a car park site in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre, capable of 300 to 400 deliveries a day up to 9am reaching nearly 150,000 households.

Bobby explained the convenience of being able to order food via drones, referring to a man in Oranmore in Galway who ordered one onion.

“He was making a steak dinner, he didn’t have an onion so he ordered an onion to be delivered by the drone. And four minutes later the onion was in his back garden.”

During the past few weeks Manna has been trialling the drones, with plenty of footage emerging on social media by excited customers and people curious to see the drones in motion.

And no harm has come or will come to seagulls or other birds flying around as, according to Bobby, “seagulls have no interest in the drones because they know the drones are not a threat or a danger to them.”

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