Amazon starts drone delivery of packages.

[Music1969]

What could go wrong?????

Fall out of the sky and cause road fatalities.

 

[RandomEar]

Rural deliveries have the highest costs - In some cases it can take one driver an entire day to deliver one package.
So anything that saves the carrier money there makes sense. I suspect using it to deliver in a city it would be more trouble than its worth.

Yeah, this obviously won't work in apartment buildings and sky scrapers without structural or zoning changes. You can't just drop a package in the street. You'd need designated drone delivery zones for neighbourhoods or a "drone port" on the roof of some buildings. And those major structural changes are pretty much out of Amazon's control. Difficult to imagine that this service "takes off" in major cities and city centers in the near future. But I agree that it may work reasonably well in the suburbs and in rural areas.

 

[Katji]

It's going to be hilarious. What could go wrong? Drones and Americans with guns- that's what. Good ol' boys will be blasting them out of the sky!

hahhahah "You read my mind." Only a matter of time before people shoot them.


PS: First thing I opened in the RSS reader today, I thought it was a macrumors post until the page came up.

 

[MZKM]

Walmart already does drone deliveries BTW.

Small items use an glider drone (parachute delivery):

TikTok - Make Your Day

www.tiktok.com

Packages use a copter drone (landing delivery):

TikTok - Make Your Day

www.tiktok.com

Here’s the airplane style drone returning to base:

TikTok - Make Your Day

www.tiktok.com

 

[maverickronin]

Amazon's super light bubble mailers and drivers who just don't care are already bad enough. If I order something small and don't keep an eye on my email for for the delivery notification there's a fair chance the wind will lodge it in the neighbors bushes or something by evening.

At least the FedEx guys here usually slide envelopes under the doormat so it doesn't blow away.

 

[Katji]

They don't mention the flight distance. ...Distance from a distribution centre.

 

[mansr]

Who needs drones when you can have owls? https://www.waterstones.com/blog/introducing-o-w-l-s

 

[Mnyb]

So porch pirates needs binoculars now follow that drone !

 

[ta240]

It is an interesting idea but I'm not looking forward to these things buzzing all around when I'm trying to enjoy some quiet and privacy in my yard.

I'm hoping UE will see to it that it does not happen over here. We have enough noisy contraptions in town and in the countryside, don't need an army of them. Plus, in my opinion, it will only encourage people to buy more stuff they probably don't need all the while feeding an already way too powerful company.

Increasing the hyper-consumerism even more. We are already closing in on some strange Max Headroom(ish) future where someone pops up on our portable video screen and tells us to buy something so we immediately do. Everyone looking to make money online is tapping into releasing endorphins and then feeding the ongoing addiction. More waste in a world with too much already.

And have you ever talked to someone that worked at one of their warehouses?

 

[Music1969]

The funniest part of this ABC News "Tech Byte" wasn't the drones but the part at the end of the new Sony Walkman LOL

 

[Chrispy]

Rural deliveries have the highest costs - In some cases it can take one driver an entire day to deliver one package.
So anything that saves the carrier money there makes sense. I suspect using it to deliver in a city it would be more trouble than its worth.

I live in a small town out in the middle of a national forest, nearest other communities quite a ways down the road....but we keep Fedex/UPS trucks pretty busy. I can't imagine drones being much good here, as someone would still need to drive here and command and feed the drones....and with all our trees can't imagine that would be a good result.

 

[Mart68]

I live in a small town out in the middle of a national forest, nearest other communities quite a ways down the road....but we keep Fedex/UPS trucks pretty busy. I can't imagine drones being much good here, as someone would still need to drive here and command and feed the drones....and with all our trees can't imagine that would be a good result.

I suppose it depends on the range of the drones. I can think of lots of practical issues to be overcome, maybe Amazon have overcome them?

The problem with B2C delivery is that although it's a huge market there's very little margin. All the big carriers want that market but they don't want to lose money servicing it so costs have to be cut to the bone. It's possible that FedEx/UPS lose money on every delivery they make to your community, that loss has to be offset somehow, at the moment its with higher charges for everyone.

I was with FedEx for fifteen years, we would not take customers who had a higher proportion than 15% B2C deliveries because there was no profit in it.

 

[JSmith]

JSmith

 

[iMickey503]

I really got to get a job marketing at Amazon. I could make you believe this was the best thing since the Big Mac.

Let me explain. So someone at Amazon can copy and post this in their marketing materials.

I live in a small town out in the middle of a national forest, nearest other communities quite a ways down the road....but we keep Fedex/UPS trucks pretty busy. I can't imagine drones being much good here, as someone would still need to drive here and command and feed the drones....and with all our trees can't imagine that would be a good result.

Helly Mr. Chrispy!
I am Boobisha Chodhankar from Amzons Coostmer Werations Department. I'm would like say our drones only use local roadways and fly above traffic, just like normal delivery do!

Drones launch from trucks as they make their way through town.
Don't worry! Real live tech on board handles delivery driving in our new Zero Emission SHH® Semi trucks that use Solar Hydrogen to deliver packages Cheaply, fast to any remote location! We call them the Ultimate Amazon Green trucks® .

Trees no problem! We have live drone flyers that pilot them from our Amazon Customer service center if things get dicey.
We care about safety, and never fly over anyone's home to violate your airspace / property.

If any damages occur? Rest assured our legal department at Amazon will gladly deny any claims for liabilities that surely will occur.
100% guarantee satisfaction customer.

Do not worry! And thank you for choosing with amazon!

_________________________
)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
_________________________

Amazon's super light bubble mailers and drivers who just don't care are already bad enough. If I order something small and don't keep an eye on my email for for the delivery notification there's a fair chance the wind will lodge it in the neighbors bushes or something by evening.

At least the FedEx guys here usually slide envelopes under the doormat so it doesn't blow away.

Hi! Mr Maverickronin!
I am steve from Amazon!

I apologize for the inconvenience.
We now offer Packed Sand packages with robust , girthy don't fly away when you blow wind option at checkout.
Are patented Sand® which comes from a secret location in the Sahara Desert takes all worry away!

Wind tunnel tested super Hydro® Aero Dynamic fluid® motion system insertion® package system® keeps downforce on your package!

Use Amazon shopping App (Not available on play store) to take a picture of where you want your package left at, and we will assure that this happens again!
Thank you for using Amazon!
Namste!

 

[Chrispy]

I suppose it depends on the range of the drones. I can think of lots of practical issues to be overcome, maybe Amazon have overcome them?

The problem with B2C delivery is that although it's a huge market there's very little margin. All the big carriers want that market but they don't want to lose money servicing it so costs have to be cut to the bone. It's possible that FedEx/UPS lose money on every delivery they make to your community, that loss has to be offset somehow, at the moment its with higher charges for everyone.

I was with FedEx for fifteen years, we would not take customers who had a higher proportion than 15% B2C deliveries because there was no profit in it.

Poor fedex. Who pays for the porch piracy in the cities?

 

[Blumlein 88]

Poor fedex. Who pays for the porch piracy in the cities?

We all do.

 

[dougi]

In my city, Canberra, we have a long term Google "Wing" trial in a few suburbs, delivering some stuff like cups of coffee. I'm really hoping it does not expand as these Wing drones are pretty big and fairly noisy. The birds don't like them either.

 

[Sal1950]

Ah that's nothin.
They used to believe we'd all have flying cars by now, ala Jetsons.
Could you imagine the scene in citys like Chicago and New York.
They'd be gettin drunk and flying into each other, falling out of the sky like pigeon crap. LOL

 

[Blumlein 88]

Ah that's nothin.
They used to believe we'd all have flying cars by now, ala Jetsons.
Could you imagine the scene in citys like Chicago and New York.
They'd be gettin drunk and fliing into each other, falling out of the sky like pigeon crap. LOL

I'd say if that ever becomes real it will have to be with all the stuff done by auto-pilot from a control facility and no option to fly it yourself.

 

[norcalscott]

I live in a small town out in the middle of a national forest, nearest other communities quite a ways down the road....but we keep Fedex/UPS trucks pretty busy. I can't imagine drones being much good here, as someone would still need to drive here and command and feed the drones....and with all our trees can't imagine that would be a good result.

Same for me, the trees would make it really hard for the drone to be able to find a suitable place to cast down the package. Also, my "backyard" is on a 35-40 degree incline, but if they are good maybe they could drop it on my deck .