Yay! Buy $8 DVD using stolen credit card, get free drone.
Why not: Buy $8 DVD and a "free drone" using a stolen credit card? That works today and even from outside the us, right?
Amazon Unveils Delivery By Drone
41–50 of 115 posts
Re: Amazon Unveils Delivery By Drone
#42For me and many it seems file this under hard to believe!
It begs me to wonder....
1. Won't theft of packages run rampant or Amazon only will deploy drones to customers currently home?
2. Wouldn't the drones be subject to be shot or brought down?
3. Will this only fly in good weather?
4. The sky is going to be littered with these things flying around?
5. Will there be a service where you can rent a drone to spy on your mate? Divorce lawyers could sell it.
Re: Amazon Unveils Delivery By Drone
#43For me and many it seems file this under hard to believe! It begs me to wonder.... 1. Won't theft of packages run rampant or Amazon only will deploy drones to customers currently home? 2. Wouldn't the drones be subject to be shot or brought down? 3. Will this only fly in good weather? 4. The sky is going to be littered with these things flying around? 5. Will there be a service where you can rent a drone to spy on yo…
On (1), it's 30-minute delivery, so I assume you would only order while you were at home.
On (5) for enough money you could probably already do this. Paparazzi photographers have already started using drones in the EU and US.
Re: Amazon Unveils Delivery By Drone
#44Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm imagining the code to plan the route of the autonomous truck as it accounts for travel time/range in and out for each delivery. The truck never stops, optimizing its route for all the drones it has in the air. Writing that code would be a pretty cool job.
I imagine much of the time the best optimization would end up being a single drone.
Only in major urban areas where you see a UPS/Fedex truck literally go a block before stopping again would you likely see multiple drones.
Re: Amazon Unveils Delivery By Drone
#45I think it's fair to say that between self driving cars and self guided quadracopters, it is entirely possible to have a fully or nearly autonomous end-to-end logistics system in the next 10-15 years. A lot of the problems with longer distance quadracopters could be overcome with a self driving delivery van, similar to an aircraft carrier with fighter jets.
Don't forget the robotic mules.
Re: Amazon Unveils Delivery By Drone
#46I think it's fair to say that between self driving cars and self guided quadracopters, it is entirely possible to have a fully or nearly autonomous end-to-end logistics system in the next 10-15 years. A lot of the problems with longer distance quadracopters could be overcome with a self driving delivery van, similar to an aircraft carrier with fighter jets.
"How does the package get from the self driving car to your porch?"
The garbage truck does something similar with a mechanical arm...
Re: Amazon Unveils Delivery By Drone
#47I think it's fair to say that between self driving cars and self guided quadracopters, it is entirely possible to have a fully or nearly autonomous end-to-end logistics system in the next 10-15 years. A lot of the problems with longer distance quadracopters could be overcome with a self driving delivery van, similar to an aircraft carrier with fighter jets.
I think you're right. Then the next huge $bn+ company will be the ones who are able to solve the mathematical challenge of optimizing the symphony of orders, autonomous vehicles, drones, and hindering variables such as traffic and weather to maximize system throughput (and thereby profit) in near real-time. If there are multiple competitors and one figures this out better than the others, they will ultimately win.
Re: Amazon Unveils Delivery By Drone
#48Roof-mounted miniature helipad mailboxes, painted with QR codes. Really, why don't houses already have package receptacles for UPS and FedEx?
I recently found myself looking at contemporary styled letter boxes, including some at $900ish that were quickly ruled out. It felt utterly stupid to be spending even $100 on something used to receive letters, all of which might be bills, advertising or invitations too formal to arrive by email.
It's interesting that we aren't being pitched package boxes with one way delivery and security keypads, etc.
Re: Amazon Unveils Delivery By Drone
#49Yay! Buy $8 DVD using stolen credit card, get free drone.
Plus free tracking device leading investigators to your location.
Re: Amazon Unveils Delivery By Drone
#50For me and many it seems file this under hard to believe! It begs me to wonder.... 1. Won't theft of packages run rampant or Amazon only will deploy drones to customers currently home? 2. Wouldn't the drones be subject to be shot or brought down? 3. Will this only fly in good weather? 4. The sky is going to be littered with these things flying around? 5. Will there be a service where you can rent a drone to spy on yo…
If you recast these questions according to how deliveries work right now, I think you see that we already have all those problems and we manage to live with them:
1. Won't theft run rampant if UPS drops off your package at your door when you're not home?
2. Don't drivers of cars and trucks risk getting shot or stopped?
3. Will cars and trucks travel only in good weather?
4. The highways are going to be littered with cars and trucks driving around? Won't this lead to "traffic jams"?
5. Will there be a service where you can rent a car (or taxi) to spy on your mate?
I'm not trying to be glib, but rephrasing the questions like this puts the issues in a new light. You can see the potential problems and solutions.