Verizon used CES 2021 to announce its Skyward drone company will be collaborating with UPS Flight Forward for retail deliveries.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently took important steps toward making drone deliveries a reality. It’s no surprise that UPS is quickly moving to ensure it can provide the service to its customers, and is collaborating with Skyward to make it happen.

“We will need the ability to manage and support multiple drones, flying simultaneously, dispatched from a centralized location, operating in a secure and safe environment. To do this at scale, alongside Verizon and Skyward, we’ll need the power of 5G,” said Carol B. Tomé, CEO of UPS.

“We’re just beginning to see how the power of 5G Ultra Wideband will transform the way businesses operate,” said Rima Qureshi, Chief Strategy Officer at Verizon. “By partnering with UPS and other innovative companies, we can learn from each other’s expertise and collaborate to create solutions that help move the world forward.”

UPS has already had more than 3,800 drone delivery flights. With the global pandemic, however, drone deliveries have become more important than ever and are widely seen as a way to deliver products in a safe way. The rapid increase in demand is no doubt responsible for UPS working with Skyward.

The drones will stay connected and be controlled via Verizon’s 4G LTE network, as well as its 5G network where possible.