Topic: Amazon To Use Drones

[Samie]

http://kotaku.com/amazon-launches-delivery-service-using-drones-seriou-1474596274

It sounds like a late April Fool's joke, but no  Amazon has really just announced a new service called Amazon Prime Air, where sometime in the next few years select customers can get stuff delivered straight to their doorstep via drone.

You can't use it yet - Amazon is awaiting approval from the FAA - but they're expecting the green light for unmanned delivery sometime in 2015. Then when final testing and R&D is done after that (the footage you see here is from a test flight), they hope to be able to deliver stuff to people's homes "in 30 minutes or less using unmanned aerial vehicles".


To see the Drone in action. 

We're excited to share Prime Air - something the team has been working on in our next generation R&D lab. The goal of this new delivery system is to get packages into customers' hands in 30 minutes or less using unmanned aerial vehicles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98BIu9dpwHU#t=46

[Chakan]

Until some redneck with a shotgun shoots it out of the sky.

[Barney_Rubble]

"Parcel for you, Mister Streeb-Greebling."

[Brian Blessed]

As long as they're more accurate than military drones.

[L12]

What if you are not home. It's mine, It's mine

[Spanish Al]

What if you are not home. It's mine, It's mine

It comes within 30 mintutes of ordering, so you'd have to be a bit special to order it and then go out.

[Big Red Richie]

Even if it is feasable in the next few years, I can't see it being rolled out universally, as it couldn't work for everyone.

How would you deliver to an address in an block of flats/apartments etc. for example?

With restrictions to delivery addresses, or location restrictions due to security or safety reasons, it would only be possible to deliver to selected addresses, and not to everyone.

It may well have a place, but it looks more of a gimmic than actually practical.


I'd imagine the aviation authorities, and the police and security services having something to say on the matter too.

[Spanish Al]

Even if it is feasable in the next few years, I can't see it being rolled out universally, as it couldn't work for everyone.

How would you deliver to an address in an block of flats/apartments etc. for example?

With restrictions to delivery addresses, or location restrictions due to security or safety reasons, it would only be possible to deliver to selected addresses, and not to everyone.

It may well have a place, but it looks more of a gimmic than actually practical.


I'd imagine the aviation authorities, and the police and security services having something to say on the matter too.

Like it says, only a selected group of customers will receive the service.

[L12]

This the future for policing, like it or not

[Samie]

This the future for policing, like it or not

Who, Amazon? 

[L12]

Who, Amazon? 

Haha that would be funny, no drones

[AndyInVA]

its pretty easy to imagine kids with air rifles taking pot shots at your DVDs as they are getting delivered

[Red Beret]

This the future for policing, like it or not

Run by G4S no doubt so we're in no danger at all. 

[Roady]

a dream for dealers

[CraigDS]

I see UPS have also come out and said they have been researching this too.

[Big Red Richie]

a dream for dealers

Bit late to the party arn't we. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25136068

[High_Cotton]

Until some redneck with a shotgun shoots it out of the sky.

its pretty easy to imagine kids with air rifles taking pot shots at your DVDs as they are getting delivered

Funny you'd say that...

[L12]

Funny you'd say that...

Haha, can just picture Billy Bob on the porch with old Blue, rifle on lap and beer in hand just waiting for the day.

[Red_Isle_Chap]

Yeah because the american government is going to let the sky be filled with package running drones that they can't check aren't they. Not a hope.

"TERRORISTS" etc.

[Red_Isle_Chap]

Concur.

I see a RoboCop-ish scenario where one is smoking in a no-smoking zone...a drone suddenly appearing, Gatling prepared and aimed, then announcing "You have 5 seconds to extinguish your cigar...4...3...2"

"But..it's an e-cigarette!"

[beardsley4ever]

its pretty easy to imagine kids with air rifles taking pot shots at your DVDs as they are getting delivered

Kids don't have DVD players anymore, so I think your DVDs are safe. 

[Chakan]

Kids don't have DVD players anymore, so I think your DVDs are safe. 

They do have air rifles though.

[Yozza1]

They could do this yet the item still wouldn't be delivered before Christmas I bet

[Buck Pete]

The awkward moment when Hakimullah Mehsud stepped out of his cave to collect his Sopranos Box set.

[AndyInVA]

The more I think about this drone delivery issue, the more it makes sense

Ive seen a drone used for long range medical deliveries in the outback and heard of an idea of drone use for casevac for military situation as well as natural disasters

I also feel the practicality of drone use for rural or suburban areas is huge. Where population density is lower and there are less of a potential for drones to hit people

Im sure after protocols for the systems are developed so they will not hit people and not each other or obstructions they will be delivering product within 5 years and it be absolutely routine. certainly in the really rural parts of the world where delivery by helicopter is too expensive, drone use must be being considered for use today

[gazzam1963]

Anyone else seen the drone used on match days , it just flys back and forth along anfield road with a little camera on . First game of the season could just hear this whining noise looked up and there it is about 100 foot in the air filming you