Not sure if serious - Amazon Drones

Schlong&Stable · 2 Dec 2013 at 10:21

It does seem to me that there are going to be some big obstacles to overcome, but I am sure Amazon is working on them. Drones are absolutely going to take off, not just for delivery, but also for policing and so forth. They were saying on the radio today that ex drone pilots from the military have setup a company for using drones to monitor gas and oil pipelines... their employers might be in for a shock when the pilots begin bombing runs, but otherwise it's a great idea.

tom_e · 2 Dec 2013 at 10:23

Thompson_NCL said:
Drones are absolutely going to take off,

You'd hope so or else all they'd be good for is paper weights!

Maccapacca · 2 Dec 2013 at 10:24

I see it working for the low rise 'merican towns in the square states but how will it'll get me COD 11 'same stuff different colours' when I live in an apartment on the 26th floor.

EGuitarStar · 2 Dec 2013 at 10:33

Pestilence said:
drones to fly around with tasers.

What a great idea!

Clean up the streets of low life scum while making a delivery.

leaskovski · 2 Dec 2013 at 10:34

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-12-02-amazon-announces-drone-delivery-service

Wow....

Cosimo · 2 Dec 2013 at 10:49

Pestilence said:
drones to fly around with tasers.

That will give all those CCTV operators something to do and no need for the police to be called.

Pestilence · 2 Dec 2013 at 11:03

maccapacca said:
I see it working for the low rise 'merican towns in the square states but how will it'll get me COD 11 'same stuff different colours' when I live in an apartment on the 26th floor.

It just comes crashing through your window as you're eating your lunch, and deposits the game in your living room before awkwardly taking off again, smashing into various ornaments as it wobbles back and forth before making it back out through the destroyed window on the third attempt. Playing a jingle the entire time.

If you try to stop it to avoid further wreckage, you get tasered into compliance.

fozzybear · 2 Dec 2013 at 11:22

Made up story but congrats to Amazon on getting free publicity in the lead up to Christmas.

kindai · 2 Dec 2013 at 11:34

I thought it was completely feasable until they said "unmanned".

Though I guess it could work if you put say a printout with a giant qr code on it the drone could see to aim for.

Frenzy · 2 Dec 2013 at 11:38

What's to stop thieving scum from stealing the drone and dismantling it to sell parts on ebay

tom_e · 2 Dec 2013 at 11:39

kindai said:
I thought it was completely feasable until they said "unmanned".

Though I guess it could work if you put say a printout with a giant qr code on it the drone could see to aim for.

unmanned doesn't mean it wouldn't have a "pilot"

Tom0 · 2 Dec 2013 at 11:40

Pestilence said:
It just comes crashing through your window as you're eating your lunch, and deposits the game in your living room before awkwardly taking off again, smashing into various ornaments as it wobbles back and forth before making it back out through the destroyed window on the third attempt. Playing a jingle the entire time.

If you try to stop it to avoid further wreckage, you get tasered into compliance.

Mmmmm lunch.

tidusjar · 2 Dec 2013 at 11:42

I can just see people taking these down, keeping the drone and the Amazon items...

anything I don't mind · 2 Dec 2013 at 11:42

I already had this idea, my plan was to revolutionise food delivery. I was going to pitch it to someone like justeat or hungryhouse.

You could have a room full of people (probably in india) flying them remotely with go pro streaming video from the quad copters. Could even carry a 3g chip and pin.

pitchfork · 2 Dec 2013 at 11:44

I've lived in Swindon far too long, my initial thoughts were "Well whats to stop someone launching a brick at it, knocking it down and nicking your parcels"

My next thoughts were "What's to stop me from disabling the robot and reprogramming it for my own ends?"

And third "I wonder if ****** would start nicking them for scrap metal"

I do think it's a cool idea, but it's entirely impractical for the world we live in. Plus, half an hour? If the warehouse is that closeby that a little helicopter thing can fly to me in that time, why don't they just hire some teenagers on pushbikes to do it? Probably just as quick and just as cheap.

anything I don't mind · 2 Dec 2013 at 11:46

In the Jessica Alba series Dark Angel, they have police drones that at the time in the 90s when it came out, i thought it was unrealistic, these days it seems like its just a matter of time before we have police drones scanning everyone and barking orders.

http://www.screenused.com/images/darkangel/HoverDrone5a.jpg

Here is Jessica riding one

platypus · 2 Dec 2013 at 11:54

fozzybear said:
Made up story but congrats to Amazon on getting free publicity in the lead up to Christmas.

Quite.

MaxP779 · 2 Dec 2013 at 11:55

Dominoes pizza has something similar:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on4DRTUvst0

I think it might be okay if it stays high up and lands in a vertical line at the dropoff point (if thats even possible) as opposed to slowly descending diagonally like a plane until it lands which gives people more of a chance to take it down.

DJMK4 · 2 Dec 2013 at 12:12

What happens if there is no one in?

Will someone still have to sign for the package if someone takes delivery?

Fire_fly · 2 Dec 2013 at 12:19

What happens if it is windy?

Most of the people I know that fly them for a hobby don't fly them in winds over about 10 - 15 mph as they get blown around all over the place.

Not sure if serious - Amazon Drones

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