The container that once transformed global trade will now transform drone logistics

The standardized shipping container (20 foot) created a common language between ships, trucks, railways and ports — unlocking one of the greatest economic transformations in modern history. By creating a universal interface between ships, trucks, railways and terminals, the 20 foot container enabled global interoperability, dramatically reduced handling time, reduced logistics costs, and became the foundation of modern supply chains. Today, autonomous logistics faces a remarkably similar challenge. Drone technology is advancing rapidly, yet the industry and its resulting value chain remain fragmented. Operators, aircraft platforms, payload systems, digital interfaces, infrastructure and operational procedures often operate in isolation, limiting scalability, interoperability and cross-border deployment. At Airspace World 2026 in Lisbon, Helicus presented a vision for addressing this challenge: the transition from isolated drone operations towards globally interoperable autonomous logistics infrastructure. The presentation was delivered at the Aviation for Europe stand at the SAFIR-Ready stand. It also was selected for the SESAR Joint Undertaking Walking Tours. There was strong interest from industry leaders, regulators, operators and innovators from around the world. Airspace World 2026 itself welcomed more than 7,000 aviation professionals from 136 countries. At the heart of this vision stands DORAI (Drone Operator Requirements Aero Initiative), an international industry initiative founded by drone operators to create common standards for autonomous logistics. The central concept is standard dimensions (in mm) are published under www.dorai.network : The standard DORAI drone container : Lenght: 375, Width 250, Height range 140-345 This concept is compatible with pneumatic tube systems with : Lenght: 375, diameter 160 Just as the ISO shipping container revolutionized global trade, a standardized logistics container for autonomous transportation allows seamless interoperability between drones, infrastructure, autonomous ground vehicles (UGV), autonomous surface vehicles (USV) and digital logistics platforms. It is the only way to reuse (expensive) assets, increase capacity and truly automate the value chain. A standard drone container creates significant benefits across the entire value chain : Production benefits of scale and reduced manufacturing complexity push down costs. Lower infrastructure investment risks in drone fleets and ground handling installations. Allows for a strong second hand market, pushing down value chain costs. Ecological benefits, increased operational flexibility and higher asset utilisation across multiple use cases (= same drones for different misions with adapted swappable containers of the same standard size) Automated standardized handovers between autonomous transport systems. The first DORAI compliant handling automation hist the market. Allows for extended supply chains that span different airspace and even conflict zones trough handovers towards adapated vehicles. Easier integration into existing logistics network. The success of the concept also lies in its adoption: : Today, nine international drone manufacturers have integrated the DORAI standard container. Medical logistics solutions, petrochemical payload systems and AED delivery solutions have already been developed within the framework. The first fully DORAI-compliant automated ground handling systems have been delivered and deployed, including installations integrated directly into operational hospital infrastructure. These achievements demonstrate a simple reality: Open standards enable ecosystems that drive innovation towards solutions and adoption. Closed systems create limitations and will eventually come to a standstill. As autonomous transportation continues to evolve, the strategic challenge is no longer whether the technology works. The challenge is whether the industry can establish the common standards needed to unlock global scale. As Mikael Shamim, CEO of Helicus and one of the founding members of DORAI, noted during the presentation: “The future of the low-altitude economy will not be defined by individual drone technologies. It will be defined by our ability to create interoperable autonomous logistics ecosystems where infrastructure, payload systems, digital coordination and airspace operations function as one unified architecture. DORAI Partners: FIA – Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, Bluenest, Hellenic U-space Institute, Hellenic Drones S.A., Helicus, AVIONORD, Delivrone, ANWB, ANWB Medical Air Assistance #Helicus #DORAI #AirspaceWorld #AutonomousLogistics #DroneLogistics #Uspace #UTM #Innovation #SupplyChain #LowAltitudeEconomy #SAFIRReady #FutureOfFlight