Shimla, June 14 -- The department of posts has launched a drone delivery trial in Mandi, marking a significant leap toward modernising postal transit in Himachal Pradesh's challenging mountainous terrain. In a recent test flight conducted in collaboration with drone logistics company Skye Air, a drone transported mail from the Mandi head post office to the hilltop Rehardhar branch post office in the Drang assembly constituency. The aerial service covered the route spanning a 12-km road distance but just 6km as the crow flies in a mere six minutes. On the return leg, the drone carried accumulated parcels and postal items back to the central hub in 12 minutes. According to Sanjay Kumar, deputy superintendent at the Mandi head post office, this technology fundamentally changes rural logistics. Standard ground delivery to the remote Rehardhar branch traditionally takes an entire day due to winding mountain roads, but the automated round trip now concludes in under 20 minutes. Mandi postmaster Neha Sankhyan noted that Skye Air is currently operating drone services across 10 specific locations within Mandi district to seamlessly facilitate collection and delivery in otherwise inaccessible areas. Subhash Dubey, a representative from Skye Air, clarified that the specialised aircraft used for the project features a 10-kg payload capacity and an operational aerial range of 30-50km. The company is currently deploying eight drones to manage the active routes in Mandi....