Cargo Consolidators Agency Limited, a logistics company based in Trinidad and Tobago, is exploring a partnership with AeroLift eXpress on drone technology. The two companies will meet this week in the capital of Port of Spain for a live demonstration of how AeroLift’s unmanned aircraft technology can help improve Cargo Consolidators initiatives, including air cargo transport, pipeline monitoring, and coastal security.
In addition to logistics, Cargo Consolidators also works in marine insurance, hazardous goods handling, and warehousing. Its meeting with AeroLift will take place on a Trinidad Coast Guard vessel, where dozens of other firms in the region may also join the demonstration.
AeroLift, which is a joint venture partner of Valmie Resources Inc., says that, unlike some other unmanned aircraft, its drones can carry roughly 14 pounds in an operating radius of 250 miles. The company believes this gives it a leg up as far as penetrating the region to partner with firms like Cargo Consolidators.
“We welcome a collaboration with Cargo Consolidators to explore solutions that not only provide accurate and effective detection tools but also a cost-effective and safe transport method,” said James Stafford, AeroLift’s founder and CEO. “We are expecting more than 50 interested companies from throughout the region to join us this week in Port of Spain as we discuss innovative responses to specific needs.”
Stafford says that, in addition to the payload and range advantages of AeroLift’s unmanned aircraft, using its drones also allows commercial operations in “challenging seas and terrain, along with the efficiency, speed, and range of a fixed-wing aircraft.”
The Port of Spain-based Cargo Consolidators was founded in 1976 and currently offers an array of transport options. Adding a drone component for short-range shipping would mean bringing one more solution for local logistics in Trinidad and Tobago. It has one office in Port of Spain and Point Lisas, while maintaining two offices at the Piarco International Airport.