Unmanned packaging delivery demo starring in Pack Expo Las Vegas

At Pack Expo Las Vegas 2017, automated packaging distribution will take to the air at an interactive display.

Show producer PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, will collaborate with electric truck and drone maker Workhorse, whose clients include UPS, to bring the simulation to life.

The demonstration will be done at the "Pack Expo Drone Demo - Packaging for the Last Mile" interactive display.

The announcement comes on the heels of Amazon's published – and now patented – vision for drone centers shaped like giant beehives in the middle of major US cities.

"When it comes to automated packaging delivery, whether it be a drone or driverless vehicles, many in the packaging industry, as well as consumers, are not exactly sure what this technology looks like or how it will apply to their everyday operations," said Jim Pittas, COO of PMMI. "Our interactive display offers a real visualization of the final process that brings the package the last mile to a consumer's home."

Mock housing will populate the virtual landscape of the 15,000sq ft exhibit in the North Hall, complete with mailboxes and doorsteps to accept delivered packages. Workhorse delivery drones will take off from the top of a stationary Workhorse electric van and make deliveries to the mock houses.

To complete the simulation, monitors outside of the drone area will broadcast the information available from the delivery van via the Metron application. The screens will also offer the drone perspective via live video from a camera mounted on the drones.

Scheduled for hourly demonstrations, the entirely unmanned delivery systems and electric-powered trucks will bring to life a system of automated package distribution and how the system is faster and more efficient than traditional delivery methods.

Pack Expo Las Vegas will be held form September 25-27.