Amazon to trial delivery-by-drone

[Eric Mc]

StottyEvo said:

The technology is there, its certainly possible.

Is it reliable enough to be safe?

What happens if a drone has a technical issue and plummets to the ground?

How will it fit in with current air traffic control requirements?

[Digga]

Eric Mc said:

What happens if a drone has a technical issue and plummets to the ground?

Depends whether it's carrying a tonne of down-filled duvets, or a tonne of bar bells and iron weights.

[The Don of Croy]

What stops them hitting overhead cables?

[jmorgan]

The Don of Croy said:

What stops them hitting overhead cables?

The man in the van following with the controls.

[StottyEvo]

Eric Mc said:

StottyEvo said:

The technology is there, its certainly possible.

Is it reliable enough to be safe?

What happens if a drone has a technical issue and plummets to the ground?

How will it fit in with current air traffic control requirements?

I imagine thats for the chaps working in testing to worry about. If they test it, it works with very little issues, I can't see why it wouldn't be used.

[Camoradi]

I think this idea could take off

[turbobloke]

Camoradi said:

I think this idea could take off

With a soft landing.

[Rick101]

It'll never fly.

[PoleDriver]

It'll be sponsored by Red Bull!

[010101]

During building and testing I have caught a knuckle with a 22 volt drone prop when it started unexpectedly, so hardly any rpm.
It really hurts.

Full speed is like a strimmer and could lead to life changing injuries.
Standing near one when it is flying is a bit worrying.

Flying on a windy day is ridiculously hard.

[Digga]

My old dog used to take great delight in plucking pigeons from the air, but I'm sure he'd have found drones just as amusing.

[mike74]

Drone/GPS technology might just about be feasible in a delivery area of large detached properties with large gardens but I doubt it's accurate enough to deliver to a sprawling area of urban terraces or even to most densely populated suburban areas.

Doubt that they could successfully operate in anything other than near perfect weather conditions.

Scallies with catapults.

[robbocop33]

Smollet said:

An interesting idea but I'd have thought there are far too many logistical problems to overcome to make it really financially viable.

Logistics like yoofs with air rifles!;-)
Dear customers,sorry we lost your parcel in a hail of gunfire!

[turbobloke]

For those who are drone savvy and keeping within the bounds of realism i.e. no drones the size of Chinooks, what max payload are we looking at if it goes ahead?

[Digga]

turbobloke said:

For those who are drone savvy and keeping within the bounds of realism i.e. no drones the size of Chinooks, what max payload are we looking at if it goes ahead?

I'll re-phrase that question; what load-rating increase will be required for UK gutter safety?

[Hudson]

Will a .22 air rifle be enough to down a drone or do i need to apply for a shotgun certificate for some modern day piracy?

[SpeckledJim]

I can see how it might be able to get the parcel within 10 feet of your front door.

What does it do with it then?

[PoleDriver]

I believe you have to register and are sent a landing mat which you place where the delivery should be dropped. This leaves the choice of delivery point to the recipient. Surely it makes sense that, if you request such fast delivery, you would be home to receive it!

[jmorgan]

Hudson said:

Will a .22 air rifle be enough to down a drone or do i need to apply for a shotgun certificate for some modern day piracy?

Think you need to be inventive. Could start a new craze, the most innovative way to down a drone and bag a free gift. That or steal someones mat.

[PoleDriver]

turbobloke said:

For those who are drone savvy and keeping within the bounds of realism i.e. no drones the size of Chinooks, what max payload are we looking at if it goes ahead?

5lb