Amazon to trial delivery-by-drone
Discussion
kowalski655 said:
Digga said:
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. 
fblm said:
kowalski655 said:
Digga said:
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. glazbagun said:
Good effort. I don't imagine a transit is easy to driftfootnote said:
Other than this being a huge PR campaign for Amazon...
I just don't see why anyone would invest in drone technology.
Mopeds work fine for Pizzas - at my door in less than an hour every time.
Argos and other retailers are already doing same day delivery of 'other stuff'
We've spent centuries developing efficient transport systems and cars, vans, bikes and lorries - and they all work fine - and cope admirably with a congested transport network.
Why would anyone choose to congest the skies too with more noisy, flying crap?
For volume, and for the cost control. I don't think Amazon are looking at this from the point of traditional 'mail order delivery'. It's to get into the market they currently can't touch, the 'Just popping down the shops for xyz. Back in half an hour.' They'll be looking at urban environments where they might make 2 or 3 deliveries to you in the same day.I just don't see why anyone would invest in drone technology.
Mopeds work fine for Pizzas - at my door in less than an hour every time.
Argos and other retailers are already doing same day delivery of 'other stuff'
We've spent centuries developing efficient transport systems and cars, vans, bikes and lorries - and they all work fine - and cope admirably with a congested transport network.
Why would anyone choose to congest the skies too with more noisy, flying crap?
maffski said:
footnote said:
Other than this being a huge PR campaign for Amazon...
I just don't see why anyone would invest in drone technology.
Mopeds work fine for Pizzas - at my door in less than an hour every time.
Argos and other retailers are already doing same day delivery of 'other stuff'
We've spent centuries developing efficient transport systems and cars, vans, bikes and lorries - and they all work fine - and cope admirably with a congested transport network.
Why would anyone choose to congest the skies too with more noisy, flying crap?
For volume, and for the cost control. I don't think Amazon are looking at this from the point of traditional 'mail order delivery'. It's to get into the market they currently can't touch, the 'Just popping down the shops for xyz. Back in half an hour.' They'll be looking at urban environments where they might make 2 or 3 deliveries to you in the same day.I just don't see why anyone would invest in drone technology.
Mopeds work fine for Pizzas - at my door in less than an hour every time.
Argos and other retailers are already doing same day delivery of 'other stuff'
We've spent centuries developing efficient transport systems and cars, vans, bikes and lorries - and they all work fine - and cope admirably with a congested transport network.
Why would anyone choose to congest the skies too with more noisy, flying crap?
Would my local mini-market have someone sending out dozens/100s of drones a day for up to £10 purchases?
Or do you see Amazon putting in place an infrastructure to do that?
I can't see it, but then I thought colour tv was just a fad - I'd love to see a projection of how they imagine it would work or what they actually really intend.
TLandCruiser said:
Digga said:
If there's the faintest chance of this becoming a reality, I'm betting catapults will be the top-selling toy the next Christmas.
Or anyone with a 12 bore J4CKO said:
I just dont see the logistics and British public allowing this to happen, be it via objection or gleefully destroying them and I guess them being armed isnt on the agenda ?
Agree. What a load of crap.How small does the item have to be, and how many batteries will the drone have to carry to complete the round trip - or does you have to stick it on charge for half an hour for Amazon before it carry's on.
What if it fails, drops out of the sky and injures somebody, or goes through the windscreen of a passing train, or brings a motorcyclist of his bike. The list goes on.
Just send it in a van.....OK?
These stories about Amazon drone deliveries have been around for several years.
They will never make deliveries in any meaningful volume by drone.
Of course they will do "Tests" and make further announcements but it's PR, that's all it is and all it ever will be.
People see the headline and recycle it, Twitter goes nuts, Amazon is clicked on and the job is done.
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=...
They will never make deliveries in any meaningful volume by drone.
Of course they will do "Tests" and make further announcements but it's PR, that's all it is and all it ever will be.
People see the headline and recycle it, Twitter goes nuts, Amazon is clicked on and the job is done.
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=...
footnote said:
How would that work though?
Would my local mini-market have someone sending out dozens/100s of drones a day for up to £10 purchases?
Or do you see Amazon putting in place an infrastructure to do that?
I can't see it, but then I thought colour tv was just a fad - I'd love to see a projection of how they imagine it would work or what they actually really intend.
I work in a town of about 70k. Take one fairly small warehouse on the edge of town - a few of blokes in vans allows you to deliver big stuff same day. A bunch of drones (perhaps 50-100?) handles small items.Would my local mini-market have someone sending out dozens/100s of drones a day for up to £10 purchases?
Or do you see Amazon putting in place an infrastructure to do that?
I can't see it, but then I thought colour tv was just a fad - I'd love to see a projection of how they imagine it would work or what they actually really intend.
From one site, with few staff, you're now able to complete with everything from supermarkets/department stores down to the local convenience store - one site competing with perhaps 500.
This isn't about replacing the courier for people ordering half a dozen items in one go, it's about people ordering a single pack of pens or a jar of coffee because they've just run out. It's a market they just can't touch at the moment.
maffski said:
I work in a town of about 70k. Take one fairly small warehouse on the edge of town - a few of blokes in vans allows you to deliver big stuff same day. A bunch of drones (perhaps 50-100?) handles small items.
From one site, with few staff, you're now able to complete with everything from supermarkets/department stores down to the local convenience store - one site competing with perhaps 500.
This isn't about replacing the courier for people ordering half a dozen items in one go, it's about people ordering a single pack of pens or a jar of coffee because they've just run out. It's a market they just can't touch at the moment.
Interesting post. What would be, if you know, the cost per delivery to amazon for such a small item? Those drones look awfully expensive. From one site, with few staff, you're now able to complete with everything from supermarkets/department stores down to the local convenience store - one site competing with perhaps 500.
This isn't about replacing the courier for people ordering half a dozen items in one go, it's about people ordering a single pack of pens or a jar of coffee because they've just run out. It's a market they just can't touch at the moment.
eccles said:
So if you live in a block of flats, can you just stick your landing mat on a plank of wood and stick it out of the window for it to land on....? 
I can't see how it will work either. Aren't there rules about the drone operator needing to have sight of the drone at all times too?This will become viable once it becomes truly automated, and no operators or 'drone supervisors' are needed.
I think the next step will be multi-drop drones, perhaps the size of fridge freezer and with multiple trap doors on the bottom which each hold parcels for one address. The drone could maybe carry out deliveries to 10-20 houses, all without an operator or the costs of running a van: diesel, driver, tyres etc.
I think the next step will be multi-drop drones, perhaps the size of fridge freezer and with multiple trap doors on the bottom which each hold parcels for one address. The drone could maybe carry out deliveries to 10-20 houses, all without an operator or the costs of running a van: diesel, driver, tyres etc.
NinjaPower said:
I think the next step will be multi-drop drones, perhaps the size of fridge freezer and with multiple trap doors on the bottom which each hold parcels for one address. The drone could maybe carry out deliveries to 10-20 houses, all without an operator or the costs of running a van: diesel, driver, tyres etc.
I think you mean 'Helicopter'.Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff