I already have a section of my back yard planned for the LZ. (I’m assuming I’ll have to set one up on amazon.com)

They are going to need a LOT more warehouses...

Edit: Walmart would be a lot better positioned to make that work, if they were so inclined.

What about people who live in flats? Does the drone knock on windows and asks to come in?

One collision/crash with an injury or one box dropped on someone's head/dog whatever, experiment over.

Can you say hackers wet dream?

Almost as realistic an idea as digital voting machines...oh... wait....

Cool promo though.

I don't think it is that far fetched as far as the technology and feasibility for areas within range of a warehouse. Collision avoidance is technically feasible. It's possible to use multiple methods to ensure the multi-copter is on the ground, or within xx centimeters of it, before releasing the package.

As for hackers, if Amazon is willing to sacrifice the ability to recall a delivery en route, then they could turn off any on board WiFi/3G/4G or similar receiver whenever the multicopter is not within x meters of the warehouse landing pad according to GPS. Utilize encrypted, spread spectrum, low power (short range) transmissions within the warehouse to program the delivery destination data into the multi-copter and then quit talking to it until it has returned.

No, (aside from FCC permission) the limiting factor is going to be warehouse locations to operate out of. How many people are located within a 30 mile (or whatever) radius of an Amazon warehouse?

Well... I googled it and saw more 'fulfillment centers' than I expected... but they are going to need a lot more of them with a 30 mile operating range.

http://www.businessinsider.com/how-many-fulfillment-centers-does-amazon-have-in-the-us-2015-3

This does sound quite far fetched to me. The propaganda videos coming from Amazon make it look easy, but they don't really show how it would work if conditions aren't too ideal- which is going to happen a lot.

Assuming that the proper approvals come to run this system in the sky, densely populated cities aren't necessarily mapped out conveniently in a grid that they can deliver packages to every location the same way- people have already mentioned apartment buildings, and no one really talks about weather conditions or wind that would shut deliveries down, even birds will attack drones



I work with the tech industry, but I think that this is over optimistic and too self congratulating even for the tech industry. It's in bad taste.

Shotgun shells are cheap, Amazon orders are expensive.

Honest officer, it fell of the back of a drone...

If these things are flying straight up to 400 feet, travelling, then descending straight down 400 feet it wouldn't be too conducive for anyone trying to shoot them down.

The warehouse end could obviously be protected. The transit portion - a moving target that small at 400 feet doesn't sound all that vulnerable to gunfire. The final descent portion - you'd either have to be in a backyard near the destination (meaning you'd be shooting at it over one of your neighbors yards) or be out in the street aiming at the thing.

I imagine it'd happen sooner or later, but no more often than some idiot goes firing a gun into the air in a populated area already - which is to say probably not all that often.

I think Dart's Bebe just got a new job description.

A big net between the main gear struts should do the job.

Edit: Interesting comment in Austrian Newspaper: Drone might as well scan your yard/house/car to target their advertisement better. How much do we want Amazon to know about our private spaces?

When are drones going to be used to help case someone's property?

They might be doing that just now, seeing what you have and patterns of movement so they can get the right time to strike.

Don't know what the regulations are around here but putting a drone up to 400ft is asking to get a strike from a F-16 taking off or landing.

400ft seems okay outside designated airport zones. I'd say most airline and military traffic is over that by the time it crosses the outer fence.

Could be interesting for helicopters though. Especially EMS and such.