12-02-2013, 01:58 AM
Strife Wrote:That drone looked hella slow, so 30 minutes with any packaging time would mean you'd have to be within like 10-20 miles from the warehouse.Amazon says they'll be ready by 2015, when the FAA is expected to roll out regulations for drone flight.
I can see this being the future... a very distant future.
The interesting thing with this concept would be that rather than get packages dropped at your door while you aren't home, you'd just wait until you ARE home and then call the thing up. It could give you updates via automated phone call, smartphone app or text message ("5 minutes out"..."1 minute out"..."package delivered") and you could just go out and get your package as it's dropped off. No more hiding stuff in the bushes or otherwise getting your stuff stolen. Apartment buildings would have a package dropoff point where you can show up when the drone says it's landing.
Amazon could also set up small offices that just collect packages for the local area. Packages get sent there as soon as they're available and then go out to you via drone whenever you say you're ready. Rather than a small number of huge warehouses, there would be a much larger number of small holding areas.
Amazon has been doing a lot of messing around lately trying to solve fundamental delivery problems, like people having to trek out to some distant UPS location to pick up a package or else risk having it stolen, because who's at home at 3pm on a Tuesday to get a package?
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/11/11/amazon-sunday-delivery-usps/3479055/">http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013 ... s/3479055/</a><!-- m --> (Sunday delivery via USPS)
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200689010">http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/ ... =200689010</a><!-- m --> (lockers at convenience stores)
These are in limited areas but basically shows Amazon is busy trying to find better ways to get packages into people's hands.
Drones dropping them off would certainly be the holy grail of shipping if they can make it work.