• Amazon unveils 30-minute delivery by drone, hopes to launch in 2015
    173 replies, posted
All I can think of when I read this is the Citadel from Half-Life 2, when it launched thousands of those camera drones to track down Gordon. I imagine every shipping center for Amazon will one day look like that, minus the "giant metal tower of doom" part. Image included for reference (not the best image of it, but the best I could find): [thumb]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_R8h-k5pUN2s/S--JBGP8aTI/AAAAAAAAABo/LDWPVFnQ_T8/s1600/halflife2_citadel1.jpg[/thumb]
People are just going to shoot this thing down and steal the stuff.
I can imagine shitty stories where the drone drops your package on your roof or in your pool, thanks you for shopping with Amazon and then flies away.
[QUOTE=sloppy_joes;43041469]They have your GPS coordinates, and hopefully they can organize it so that they deliver it at a time that you're home so that nobody takes your package.[/QUOTE] if it delivers in 30 minutes i'm pretty sure someone isn't going to order with this and then go "welp time to go to work!" although maybe an option when you order to put in a time when you know that you will be available for picking it up
Are you able to assign a GPS coordinate to the destination? [editline]1st December 2013[/editline] Thinking about it, it probably doesn't need to come to your house at all, probably during work.
[QUOTE=CoolKingKaso;43041714]Are you able to assign a GPS coordinate to the destination? [editline]1st December 2013[/editline] Thinking about it, it probably doesn't need to come to your house at all, probably during work.[/QUOTE] i'm mailing like a million dragon dildos to my ex boyfriend across the country and having them drop directly onto his car
[QUOTE=littlefoot;43041687]I can imagine shitty stories where the drone drops your package on your roof or in your pool, thanks you for shopping with Amazon and then flies away.[/QUOTE] This but with a drone [IMG]http://i.minus.com/inmELjXp62idY.gif[/IMG]
Wait until some douchebag teenagers start sniping them down with airsoft guns to get the stuff inside.
[QUOTE=Supacasey;43041568]Private drones have come extremely far extremely quickly, they're no longer "go to x height, go to x coordinates, drop to x height, return to x coordinates", they're now capable of in-flight mathematical corrections and calculations beyond basic stabilization and routines. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2itwFJCgFQ&feature=youtu.be[/media][/QUOTE] Fuuuuck that is some tony stark shit.
I would totally be a delivery drone pilot if they're not autonomous of course
build a van with lots of drone launch racks distribute an entire blocks packages at once
[QUOTE=NuggetWarmer;43041316]What about apartment buildings? Would you have to stand outside waiting for 30 mins?[/QUOTE] I like to imagine it can hover outside your window.
[QUOTE=Jagur;43041241]A lot has to be taken into consideration for this to function properly.[/QUOTE] weather, air traffic, durability (in case someone wants to go drone hunting) What happens if someone is waiting to steal it, will they know the drones location?
I can't see any way in which this would be practical unless they charge like 100 bucks extra for each package.
Everyone commenting about shooting one down doesn't seem to realize that it's sporting a protective shell of carbon fiber. Assuming it flies at a good altitude, not even a perfect shot from a .22 or smaller is going to do much damage. You'd need some actual firepower and serious skill to snipe one down. And as far as lobbing off arms/props, go to 6:50. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2itwFJCgFQ&feature=youtu.be[/media]
I can easily imagine people waiting outside their house waiting to shoot down drones that fly be and see what their loot is. Unless of course I get ninja'd with an explanation as to why that's unlikely.
[QUOTE=Keychain;43041876]I can easily imagine people waiting outside their house waiting to shoot down drones that fly be and see what their loot is. Unless of course I get ninja'd with an explanation as to why that's unlikely.[/QUOTE] I would assume, the drone would be equip with some sort of police device, so if taken down , it would send a single to let the authorities know where was the last place the drone was, retrieve package, arrest the person and deliver the package.
It's weird how everyone's assuming that you could just take down these things and wondering what the repercussions would be, do you all also wonder how UPS delivery trucks don't get their wheels popped off and get hauled away by robbers on a daily basis or something? It seems like a solid system, specially for deliveries to rural areas and the like, where the price to get people and a truck all the way there would be way too expensive to deliver just one package. I'd imagine they could even just replace part of their ground delivery service by a crew of drone pilots in some Amazon warehouse. Remember, people, [B]just because it's unmanned doesn't mean that it's not human-controlled.[/B]
What happens if you order a bunch of stuff with this at the same time? Do they just send out a swarm of them?
[QUOTE=sloppy_joes;43041469]They have your GPS coordinates, and hopefully they can organize it so that they deliver it at a time that you're home so that nobody takes your package.[/QUOTE] With increasingly ubiquitous smartphones I'd imagine it'd be easier to get a mail or a notification by an amazon-developed app that made your phone beep and tell you your package is 5 mins away, maybe even pinpointing the delivery location on Google Maps ...actually, why doesn't UPS/Fedex do that?
I think I can wait for a day for my package to arrive. Amazon prime already amazes me with its price. I can't imagine how much this will cost.
[QUOTE=TravisG;43041282]The algorithm would probably be pretty complex given that porches come in all different varieties, it'd probably be easier to try and look for the front door instead since they usually have pretty consistent sizes. Probably be similar to how google identifies license plates or people's faces. Assuming it's automated, which would be even more badass[/QUOTE] I have the feeling that it will automatically fly to your house given rough GPS coords then await some remote pilot to guide it to your porch or back garden. How will this work for blocks of flats?
i bet the shipping cost is like $50 per package
I hope you enjoy paying 50 more dollars for this shipment option.
eh, not gunna lie but I can't see this becoming and affordable and actual thing for way longer than 2015. Just looks like a fancy gimmick now
[QUOTE=Glitchman;43041794]I would totally be a delivery drone pilot if they're not autonomous of course[/QUOTE] They are. That's the point. [editline]1st December 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=Complifused;43042178]eh, not gunna lie but I can't see this becoming and affordable and actual thing for way longer than 2015. Just looks like a fancy gimmick now[/QUOTE] Yeah, that's why it's in research. [editline]1st December 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=meppers;43042121]i bet the shipping cost is like $50 per package[/QUOTE] Doubt it, it's entirely electric. Once they figure out how to do it, it should be cheaper than normal delivery.
[QUOTE=sloppy_joes;43042202]They are. That's the point. [/QUOTE] I'd be surprised if they are fully automated. How are they going to handle unique situations? Not everyone has a garden, what about blocks of flats, etc. I'd bet the drones are automated until they reach the house where they require piloting
[QUOTE=Trumple;43042254]I'd be surprised if they are fully automated. How are they going to handle unique situations? Not everyone has a garden, what about blocks of flats, etc. I'd bet the drones are automated until they reach the house[/QUOTE] No, the point is that they are fully automated. You should watch the 60 minute segment, which the video/article is pulled from. Full automation is the future.
[QUOTE=sloppy_joes;43042267]No, the point is that they are fully automated. You should watch the 60 minute segment, which the video/article is pulled from. Full automation is the future.[/QUOTE] Oh, that's really impressive
[QUOTE=meppers;43042121]i bet the shipping cost is like $50 per package[/QUOTE] [QUOTE=redBadger;43042144]I hope you enjoy paying 50 more dollars for this shipment option.[/QUOTE] Prime's a subscription service, it already costs $80 a year. I imagine they'll either find a way to roll this into the existing price or charge a bit extra for it.
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