if door cameras fail to keep the pirates off the balcony, perhaps a giant, pin-code-locked package safe will be desired. the Hyve “delivery pod” asking drivers to drop packages in the bin placed at your door. Even if the pirates get the pod, they will be yelled at for safety until they put it away. Hyve isn’t just an attempt to shake up the home delivery market. This is a great way to reveal many of the problems in today’s online retail environment.

Startup Hyve is showing off its first solar-powered patio-based lockbox for deliveries during CES 2025. It can connect to other Matter-enabled security systems, though the delivery pod is pretty low-tech compared to Ring-type door cams. There’s a pin code and app-activated lock on the outside, but the pod itself is tethered to a quarter-inch carbon fiber cable that you screw to the inside of your front doorframe. You can get around this with industrial-sized bolt cutters, but there’s added security with a built-in accelerometer. When you start moving it, the pod will issue a high-pitched scream. It sends an alert to the owner or any connected neighbors through an app.

You can give any number of users Bluetooth or WiFi access to the pod so they can retrieve packets. Hyve pods also need to rely on drivers to do their part. You can leave your PIN and delivery instructions in your online order, but drivers are not guaranteed to follow those instructions. At least the pod includes a window that allows drivers to take photos of delivered packages.

Hyve co-founder Melissa Kieling told Gizmodo that the startup is currently finalizing a deal with a delivery company to allow drivers to access pods without the need for pin codes home owners. The other end of these partnerships is the possibility that Amazon or other online retailers do not require individual boxes for each order. However, companies also need to change their distribution processes.

But if Hyve becomes popular, it may finally work with returns. The device can ping nearby drivers to notify them of a returned package rather than companies requiring customers to drop it off.

The Hyve will ship in June this year. Its starting price is $300, and the app requires an annual subscription fee.