Amazon Testing Drone Delivery

[Nick]

Probably doesn't work out in the sticks where I live but in a suburban area, this is something new ...



CNN article -- http://money.cnn.com/2013/12/01/technology/amazon-drone-delivery/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

The "octocopters" aren't ready to take flight yet. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said in an interview on 60 Minutes that the drones would be ready to take flight in four to five years. But an Amazon spokesperson pointed to an updated post on the company's website promising aerial deliveries as soon as federal rules change.

 

[ScottySkis]

Scary very scary.

 

[billski]

I just figured that the Fedex guy would drive up to your house and let the drone deliver the package when it's raining. Will it knock on your door and ask you to sign for a package?


Girl Scouts, Seventh Day Adventists, political campaigners, save the whales, burglars, 911 calls. Imagine the possibilities!

Do you think I'll have the right to shoot it down?

I have a hunch there will be a lot of legal battles to be fought before this is allowed to happen.

 

[bvibert]

I don't see this being allowed to happen anytime in the near future, but it's still a cool idea!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[Glenn]

Very cool idea. They've come a long way from selling books online.

 

[wa-loaf]

Lots of variables out there for an unmanned drone. Trees, telephone lines, kids flying kites, kids with bbguns, other drone traffic, angry birds ... not to mention I don't think a bright yellow box left in the middle of my lawn would last very long before I got home.

 

[Nick]

There are definitely challenges but I think it's worth working through them. UPS leaves packages on my door too

I read the radius is really limited at least in its current iteration. You'd have to live within 10 miles of a warehouse. I imagine homes closes to a distribution center would really be hearing the drones all day long.

Assuming weather is OK though, it doesn't seem like it's that difficult to implement. I mean, if they can program them to do this:

 

[bvibert]

There are definitely challenges but I think it's worth working through them. UPS leaves packages on my door too

I read the radius is really limited at least in its current iteration. You'd have to live within 10 miles of a warehouse. I imagine homes closes to a distribution center would really be hearing the drones all day long.

Assuming weather is OK though, it doesn't seem like it's that difficult to implement. I mean, if they can program them to do this:

Wow, that's pretty cool!

 

[JimG.]

They'll have to make the drones silent to combat the inevitable zoning board challenges.

And then all it will take is one plane crash caused by a wayward drone and the idea ends.

 

[bigbog]

Can see it in cities where large buildings would be a part of a mobile "grid"..ie helipads on the roof....but running into birds could be an expensive collision...