Amazon Deliveries via Drone?
JLocke
Posts: 354
Saw this article today. I don't really see this happening, but evidently those with more money than I have think it is a possiblity...
Amazon Prime Air Delivery Drones
Amazon Prime Air Delivery Drones
Comments
http://metro.co.uk/2013/06/05/dominos-trials-new-drone-delivery-system-for-pizzas-3829035/
stacked and would need enough room between items for the drone no matter the size of the item to be picked out.
In low population density areas, you will have more dispersed distribution centers. Lots of wide open space but you'll need some really long distance drones!
I'm perfectly happy with my Amazon Prime Free Second Day delivery model. I don't need drone delivered near immediate gratification.
I suppose that if delivery by drone were to work, people would have to have a landing zone atop their residence that is secure from other people being able to tamper with it.
In Taiwan, the convenience store (mostly 7-11) is the Swiss Army Knife of drop off and pick up, and open 24 hours 7 days a week.
One can have packages delivered via Fed Ex, DHL, and other services (no UPS) to the one near your home (or you can send ouf), one can buy postage, one can pay their utility bills, their cellular phone bills, their vehicular insurance payment, their parking tickets, their national health insurance premium, and the C.O.D. on their delivery. And don't forget the shampoo, towels, shirts, toothpaste, socks, underwear, dog food, lunch, vitamins, newspapers, alcohol, and tobacco.
People buy books online, or just about anything Yahoo or EBay have to offer and then pick it up a few days later at their nearest 7-11. And withing three blocks of where I live, there are 5 Seven-Eleven locations. The only thing that is stranger are the two 24 hour optometrist that are in the neighborhood. I just can't figure out why anyone might want to buy a pair of glasses at 3;30am... after all, you still have to wait a couple of days to have them fill the order.
And there is a lot more. So I really wonder how a drone is going to do any of this at a lower cost and in a timely manner. Flight is dependent upon weather permitting. The trucks pretty much just come and go regardless of the weather.
i guess i am not ready to return to the USA.. I love the weirdness of Asia. There is always another surprise just around the corner, like the neighbor that keeps falcons and hawks or the latest drink shop "Shark Toast" that specializes in a variety of toasts served with mango milk (Starbucks watch out!).
High population density doesn't need drone traffic, everything is already covered. But if Asia is any indication of the future, delivery to your home is going to disappear as it just creates a ton of aggravation over will call centers.
The SwapBox make a lot more sense that 30 minute drone delivery. Is Amazon going you give out free product if the delivery takes more than 30 minutes to arrive?
Valuable items... over Oakland... Forget the cargo, grab the drone itself.
You know... there is a good reason or two that NYC, and other major cities still have thriving bicycle messenger delivery services. (like it is cheaper, more reliable, faster, gives someone a job...)
Personally i think we should ban ATMs and require all banks to have tellers until unemployment drops to 3% as a penalty for what the banks caused in 2007. A little less technology might be helpful.
Also:
- what about the security/safety of the shipment
- what happens when the 'copter lands on a kid/pet and turns them into sausage
- forget the shipment, grab the 'copter!
- the inevitable "target practice"
- flight control issues with 100s or 1000s of these little buggers buzzing about
- etc.
Chuck G
Well the tech is here and workable.
Logistics is where the work needs to be applied.
The security/safety of the shipment would be handled as it is now when a package is left at a residence.
Theft of the drone would be theft..and the drone would be trackable.
Target practice...guess what happens when you shoot at a plane now?
Flight control of numerous drones is a tech problem..easily fixed with current tech.
Sharing airspace with manned craft is the sticky but fixable point...think liability.
Drones are just the current "cool" thing to be associated with.
They have their place and will be used in significant numbers.
It is interesting to see how slowly society adapts kicking and screaming to technology changes.
"Target practise" issues could be resolve by gun control... but that will never happen.
Around here, gun control is keeping it steady while pulling the trigger.
...what about the "sausage aspect"?
That is hilarious!!
How is the "sausage aspect" handled now with manned aircraft, RC craft that fail?
Typical liability approach.
Shooting at aircraft including drones would be a federal offense with serious fines and jail time...just like now.
I can easily see the USPS adopting this delievery system in the future.
The big hurdle is not the technology...it is the cultural drag..the FAA would have to get off its thumbs and actually manage air space.
Considering how many shooters I know hat drink and shoot, I have never understood why the cup holder for a beer isn't a standard accessory with every long gun.
I think the FAA cannot be responsible for 100% of controlled airspace. They rely on pilots, and aircraft instrumentation to provide the ultimate separation between aircraft. So these drones better have ADS-B and compatible transponders. Wonder if Amazon factored that weight in?
These people are being led on by the FAA that "drones" will be allowed. Thing is, just like a race track, you need a race car to play. No way a sub $10k "drone" will fly legally for commercial purposes. That's based on 5 year inflation.
Read some FARs on aircraft lighting, and maintaining visual or instrument rules, what makes an aircraft legal to fly, and also the rules about operating around populated areas. If that is what these types of "drones" are up against (and I sure they will be or general aviation will have a mass upset) they aren't going to be a lot of them. I suppose if Amazon saves millions in delivery fees over FedEx and UPS it may be feasible I just don't see the FAA letting these things mingle with VFR pilots who rely on seeing something before they hit it.
Anyway the point of that was that the FAA is not responsible for aircraft separation. ATC manages airspace and if you've ever been in a busy tower or center you'd be beside yourself what they make one person do.
UAS roadmap - http://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/uas/ (will change until 2015)
FWIW...I am a pilot and am familiar with various technology that is being developed for automated aviation...manned and unmanned.
Unmanned drones will happen...the FAA has already admitted it will.
Civil aviation will be changing...as the technology that already exists is applied to the upgrading of realtime airspace management.
We live in a world where there is likely never to be another manned fighter developed...only unmanned...as technologies fuse as we have seen in drone development.
That technology fusion will trickle down into commercial fields..as we see with the small civilian drones.
As the development of electric/driverless cars progress, the real roadblocks is having the suitable infrastructure in place and to change civilization expections. The same goes for pilotless flight.
Time to kick the tires and light the fires! Beautiful day here