Not sure if serious - Amazon Drones

physichull · 2 Dec 2013 at 12:25

This idea just sounds barmy. I mean, its a brilliant idea, but it would just never, ever work. People would steal them, break them, they'd fly into you, leave packages everywhere, nobody would insure your post. the list goes on.

Nice idea, never going to happen.

A brilliant Xmas marketing strategy though for the busiest online shopping day of the year.

Scuzi · 2 Dec 2013 at 12:29

Pestilence said:
Not sure if anyone has noticed... but check the wording on that Daily Mail article at the first bullet point.

I wonder if they'll delivery when it been snowing?

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has announced the online retailer has secretly been testing drones that will delivery packages directly to people's doors

I wonder if the postmans will use them to delivery the letter post?

Participant · 2 Dec 2013 at 12:44

Haha, that was a great thread.

Mr-White · 2 Dec 2013 at 12:48

Would be awesome if true but I see far to many issues with this to actually work

MW

rhysduck · 2 Dec 2013 at 13:04

Cosimo said:
Great idea but please don't let Yodel fly these things.

Haha

oulton · 2 Dec 2013 at 13:07

BLACKHAWK DOWN!!!!!

DJMK4 · 2 Dec 2013 at 13:10

Now I finally have a reason to launch some surface to air missiles

ToxicTBag · 2 Dec 2013 at 13:12

Good idea in theory
Sincerely doubt it would happen here though, if these drones could drop off at a secure nearby pickup point eliminating the need to sign for and guarantee that the customer has not fell asleep (ahem) then yes it might.
Collect plus by air hmmm not bad at all

Footyslayer · 2 Dec 2013 at 13:12

Never going to work, as most valid points have been stated already.

fozzybear · 2 Dec 2013 at 13:32

I prefer Waterstones' idea.

http://www.waterstones.com/blog/2013/12/introducing-o-w-l-s/#more-15525

Greboth · 2 Dec 2013 at 13:58

They should stop working on this and work on beaming technology. I want to order something and instantly beams in to my house next to me

On a more serious note, while I don't know how feasible it will be in the time frame being suggested. I don't know why so many people are putting the idea down. How long has it been suggested that in the future we will have cars the drive themselves and all other such proclamations? We aren't there yet but we are moving in that direction though. So I don't think the question is are we going to move to an autonomous technological future, it is simply when are going to switch from human control to autnomous.

pitchfork · 2 Dec 2013 at 14:06

Oh damn, we should use owls.

LOAM · 2 Dec 2013 at 14:21

What happens if you buy a drone from Amazon, is it delivered by another drone? Yo Dawg / Droneception.

pitchfork · 2 Dec 2013 at 14:23

LOAM said:
What happens if you buy a drone from Amazon, is it delivered by another drone? Yo Dawg / Droneception.

You steal the delivery drone and when amazon come to collect them you ask "how will you know which is the real one and which is the evil one?" and there will be some 1980's film style sequence "pick me, I am the real drone" etc.

Em3bbs · 2 Dec 2013 at 15:06

DJMK4 said:
What happens if there is no one in?

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

I imagine it will only deliver at a predetermined time/location when the buyer will be there to wait for it, and they would probably tell it to land via their Amazon account/app/whatever when it arrives. It's designed for immediate dispatch/delivery within 30 minutes don't forget.

Col_M · 2 Dec 2013 at 15:11

Multirotors just don't have the range right now. I can easily program mine to fly to a waypoint ~5km away autonomously without me touching the sticks but the limiting factor is battery power, it wouldn't have enough juice to fly back and that's not carrying a payload.
I just don't see it happening anytime soon, unless you live <2km from a warehouse.

Scotty123 · 2 Dec 2013 at 15:12

These aren't the drones you're looking for.

pitchfork · 2 Dec 2013 at 15:23

Just solved this problem, you have a delivery hatch in the roof of your house.

The drone drops it down into the hatch, it needn't land on the ground and the package is safe, warm and dry.

Lysander · 2 Dec 2013 at 15:29

This has made my absolutely crap day seem a bit better. The mental images I have of these things going wrong are just amazing.

sanaxe1 · 2 Dec 2013 at 15:47

This is already being successfully used in China.

http://qz.com/120654/china-could-become-the-first-country-to-legalize-parcel-delivery-by-drone/

Not sure if serious - Amazon Drones

Capodecina