Amazon’s Prime Air octo-copter. Ready for package delivery! (via Amazon)
Just when you think there is nothing left that drones can be used for, comes a sci-fi like story that’s seemingly hard to believe. In this case, it’s Amazon’s Prime Air delivery system, which makes use of drones to deliver packages in 30-minutes or less! The shopping hub recently went on 60 Minutes to reveal their new shopping endeavor, which is clearly the first of its kind for retail outlets. The idea of drones delivering things is not new however, as the military and civilian SR (Search and Rescue) personnel have been using them over the past few years to deliver vital medicines, food and other supplies for soldiers in the field and people trapped in remote locations. Amazon plans to use a fleet of drones that will deliver packages directly to your location in the same amount of time it takes for a pizza to be delivered.
Amazon’s Prime Air will work by taking the customer’s order online, after which, workers at nearby outlets package your item in a plastic container. The container travels down a conveyor to a waiting octo-copter that grabs the package and flies to the customer’s location. The carry weight of the drones is limited to 5lbs and under so you won’t receive your next 50-inch flat panel screen by drone delivery. Amazon is currently waiting for the FAA to instil rules and regulations regarding the use of civilian drones, so we won’t see them buzzing around anytime soon, however the company is hopeful that their delivery system could be employed sometime in 2015. It will be interesting to see if any of those packages become lost or sent to the wrong address just like their human counterparts seem to do from time to time.
What a great way to promote Amazon on this year’s “Cyber Monday.”
C
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