Starship Deliveries - Purdue Food Company

Food Delivery by Robot?

Starship robots bring your favorite foods to you!

Starship Technologies has partnered with Purdue Food Company to offer a futuristic delivery service! That’s right, you can have your food brought to you by robot!

Enjoy savory snacks, sweet treats, and hearty meals from all over the Purdue campus without leaving the comfort of your favorite hangout! The robots provide a safe, fast, affordable and environmentally friendly delivery. Your can use your Retail Dining Membership, Dining Dollars, BoilerExpress, and Credit/Debit cards on Starship’s app, so you can order from your favorite campus restaurants, like Starbucks or Au Bon Pain, for a small delivery fee.

Ready to get your meals on six wheels?

Download the Starship Delivery app.
Place your order from participating campus restaurants.
Sit back and track your order as a robot makes its way to you!

Learn more about Starship’s mission to transform the future of delivery.

FAQ

How do robots know where they’re going?

Most of the time the robots drive autonomously, using a mixture of computer vision and GPS to pinpoint their exact location to the nearest inch.

How does the robot not hit things?

The robot has obstacle detection. 12 cameras, ultrasonic sensors, radars, neural networks and more to detect obstacles, whether that’s a dog, a pedestrian/cyclist.

How fast does it go?

The robot travels safely at 4 mph.

Does it travel on roads or sidewalks?

The robots are designed to act like a pedestrian, so mainly sidewalks, but they cross roads too.

Are they 100% Autonomous?

We aim for 99% autonomous operation. The robots can be monitored remotely by a human who can take control at any time, if needed.

How much does the robot weigh?

40-45 pounds.

How much can the robot carry?

Around 20 pounds.

They must get stolen all the time!

The robots have many theft prevention measures to prevent this from happening. Sirens if it is picked up, tracking to the nearest inch, the lid is securely locked, and cameras that can record.

Where is the company based?

Starship is an American company headquartered in San Francisco. The robots are manufactured in Europe.

How much does a delivery cost?

The delivery price can change but it’s normally just a few bucks.

How do you ensure sanitary deliveries?

The robots are cleaned and sanitized before every delivery.

Are they environmentally friendly?

Starship’s robots are safe and green and 100% electric.

Step 1: Get the App

Download the Starship Deliveries app on your phone.

Step 2: Order Your Food

Choose what items you would like from one of several catering locations, and drop a pin where you want it delivered.
We accept: Retail Dining Memberships, Credit/Debit, Dining Dollars, and Boiler Express.

Step 3: Let the Food Come to You

Sit back, relax, and watch the robot’s journey to you on the interactive map. Once the robot arrives, you’ll receive an alert and you can meet the robot and unlock it in the app.

Service Area

Within the app, check out our current delivery area to see where the robots will go. Keep your eyes peeled, as the service area will be expanding!

Accessibility

Purdue Food Co. and Starship are committed to making this delivery service as accessible as possible. Starship has considered accessibility in the design process of the service/robots, and works with many community organizations, including people with disabilities, with the aim to ensure everyone feels comfortable with the technology and that the needs of various community members are taken into consideration. Improvements are continuing to be made based on feedback and data from over 350,000 autonomous deliveries. Please contact us if you have any feedback on a specific issue so we can make this service available and usable for everyone.