Amazon testing air drone package delivery o.o

[Photoelectric]

http://mashable.com/2013/12/01/amazon-unveils-flying-robot-delivery-drones/
http://money.cnn.com/2013/12/01/technology/amazon-drone-delivery/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

 

The future is now!  (Well,..  a year or two from now)

[tjcaustin]

Or five.

[jdcarpe]

Saw this segment on 60 Minutes tonight. Thanks for the links!

[Photoelectric]

Also saw a related link about Domino's similar tests:
http://money.cnn.com/2013/06/04/technology/innovation/dominos-pizza-drone/index.html?iid=EL

Which prompts some questions about airspace regulations when a lot of companies decide to do this.  Imagine the amount of accidental air collisions with hot pizzas falling on someone's head  )

[Shadovved]

Also saw a related link about Domino's similar tests:
http://money.cnn.com/2013/06/04/technology/innovation/dominos-pizza-drone/index.html?iid=EL

Which prompts some questions about airspace regulations when a lot of companies decide to do this.  Imagine the amount of accidental air collisions with hot pizzas falling on someone's head  )

I wouldnt mind if random packages from Amazon and pizza start falling in my backyard )

If I had a backyard, in the US. Anyway.

[vivalarevolución]

If I only could accept change rather than be a Luddite, I would be excited for this.  But with each new technology, I always ask "Does this make life better and make us happier?"

But the implications of all many companies using drones for delivery would be interesting.  Another class of jobs would be eliminated.   Google automated cars will drive the trucks, drones will make the final leg.  At some point, I could see the only human jobs left are the programmers, designers, and engineers that make all these robots.  Next comes the singularity, and humans will no longer be necessary.  Hopefully, the robots will not mind me lnving a quiet life in my off grid tiny home.

[keymaster]

... and so the drone package thief occupation was created in year 2020 of our Lord 

[Photoelectric]

If I only could accept change rather than be a Luddite, I would be excited for this.  But with each new technology, I always ask "Does this make life better and make us happier?"

But the implications of all many companies using drones for delivery would be interesting.  Another class of jobs would be eliminated.   Google automated cars will drive the trucks, drones will make the final leg.  At some point, I could see the only human jobs left are the programmers, designers, and engineers that make all these robots.  Next comes the singularity, and humans will no longer be necessary.  Hopefully, the robots will not mind me lnving a quiet life in my off grid tiny home.

See, that's not a bad thing.  We don't have to work all day in a field to have something to eat, cut wood to warm our house, etc.  If jobs shift in a more creative/intellectual direction--is that bad?  By that example, they already have, given that 100 years ago, the profession of a computer IT person would seem insanely superfluous and odd.  Or if we don't have to work as much in general to be provided for, if a lot of things are automated.  Clearly economy will need to adapt as well as the social order, but that's what gradual changes do anyway.

[noisyturtle]

Weed delivery by air drone you say?

[Oobly]

I wonder how many packages AND drones will "go missing", depending on how low they fly. People will have much less consciensce about taking something that's flying over their home than holding up a delivery driver.

About the whole "self-driving" car thing. I can see it working if ALL the cars are self-driving. Add just one human driver and you introduce a totally unpredictable factor, since you can't predict how the human will react in a given situation. Accidents are bound to happen. If they have their own roads, then no worries, but I don't trust mixing automated vehicles and human-controlled ones. And this is even assuming the control software and hardware is as good as human perception for things like black ice, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcycles, etc.

[tp4tissue]

This is going to be Gas Powered

[iri]

...and i just read that hydrogen can be produced using termites as bioreactors.

[rowdy]

[Tym]

@Rowdy  )

[tp4tissue]

(Attachment Link)

My Harddrives.....  noooooooooooooooo!!! 

[Tym]

(Attachment Link)

Show Image

My Harddrives.....  noooooooooooooooo!!! 

Show Image

You have too many "movies" tp...

[tp4tissue]

(Attachment Link)

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My Harddrives.....  noooooooooooooooo!!! 

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You have too many "movies" tp...

Slanderous insinuations.. 

[jdcarpe]

(Attachment Link)

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My Harddrives.....  noooooooooooooooo!!! 

Show Image

You have too many "movies" tp...

Slanderous insinuations.. 

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Only if it's untrue. Do you deny it?

[keymaster]

[iri]

lolz!

[Tym]

[Photoelectric]

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Oh no, not UPS...  They will definitely be dropping packages directly from that height.

[SpAmRaY]

Show Image

Oh no, not UPS...  They will definitely be dropping packages directly from that height.

UPS would be better suited to just use a package launcher

[Photoelectric]

Show Image

Oh no, not UPS...  They will definitely be dropping packages directly from that height.

UPS would be better suited to just use a package launcher

I can see that happening  :))

[SpAmRaY]

Show Image

Oh no, not UPS...  They will definitely be dropping packages directly from that height.

UPS would be better suited to just use a package launcher

I can see that happening  :))

I'm thinking t-shirt launcher only for packages mounted in the back of the truck

[Photoelectric]

Show Image

Oh no, not UPS...  They will definitely be dropping packages directly from that height.

UPS would be better suited to just use a package launcher

I can see that happening  :))

I'm thinking t-shirt launcher only for packages mounted in the back of the truck

And a missile-style door at the bottom for monitors, refrigerators, and other electronics.

[Krogenar]

See, that's not a bad thing.  We don't have to work all day in a field to have something to eat, cut wood to warm our house, etc.  If jobs shift in a more creative/intellectual direction--is that bad?

Photoelectric is correct! In 1840, 70% of the U.S. workforce were farmers. (see?) The coming of industrialization changed all that for the better. There had to have been people not suited to farm life, who dreamt of being interior decorators, or lingerie models. It was the same with the horseless carriages. Change is generally good, but it inevitably hurts.

Maybe when the sentient supercomputer brains are in charge of the economy they will begin slowly shifting us back to an agrarian economy, purely for the sake of a simpler, less hectic lifestyle. But really, I just want to see a drone carrying a Meat Craver pizza lock onto my phone's GPS signal and chase me around a public park. That would be awesome.

[jdcarpe]

But really, I just want to see a drone carrying a precision guided munition lock onto my phone's GPS signal and chase me around a public park. That would be awesome.

FTFY.

[BunnyLake]

(Attachment Link)

brilliant

[Michael]

I welcome our new robot overlords.

[IvanIvanovich]

I wonder what the max weight load will be...

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

They'd spend a fortune on those plastic package carrying containers (unless you're required to return them?).

Also, I feel like people would start shooting them out of the sky for fun. They'd have to be armed with phasers (or more realistically, long-range pepper spray cannons).

[SpAmRaY]

Perhaps they can source them at the same price as boxes?

[Tym]

In the 1950's Popular Mechanics published a stolovery about a former artillery Sergeant who attempted to invent a personal delivery system similar to what Amazon intends to create with drones. Except he used modified artillery shells. He actually got a hold of an M116 howitzer which he fired modified shells over a small town in upstate New York.

The shells were hollowed out inside and a parachute would automatically deploy as it approached the target. The problem was the shells weighed twenty pounds and if the parachute did not deploy that meant a twenty pound shell would come crashing down from the sky and wreck someone's house or possibly kill someone in the street. As the Sergeant tested the device and was utterly convinced it was a way of the future he offered to sell a solution installing expensive iron plating on the roofs of people's homes and heavy protective armor for navigating the streets.

This Sargent's story had become an inside joke among people who market modern electronics and virus software. Create a problem that is unnecessary and then sell people an expensive and completely impractical solution.

[paicrai]

I'll get a friend to work there so that he can put hidden bombs in the drone box thing and I'll type in somebody else's address and stuff. #legit2013

[SpAmRaY]

I'll get a friend to work there so that he can put hidden bombs in the drone box thing and I'll type in somebody else's address and stuff. #legit2013

That's not very funny. 

[Malphas]

If I only could accept change rather than be a Luddite, I would be excited for this.  But with each new technology, I always ask "Does this make life better and make us happier?"

But the implications of all many companies using drones for delivery would be interesting.  Another class of jobs would be eliminated.   Google automated cars will drive the trucks, drones will make the final leg.  At some point, I could see the only human jobs left are the programmers, designers, and engineers that make all these robots.  Next comes the singularity, and humans will no longer be necessary.  Hopefully, the robots will not mind me lnving a quiet life in my off grid tiny home.

See, that's not a bad thing.  We don't have to work all day in a field to have something to eat, cut wood to warm our house, etc.  If jobs shift in a more creative/intellectual direction--is that bad?  By that example, they already have, given that 100 years ago, the profession of a computer IT person would seem insanely superfluous and odd.  Or if we don't have to work as much in general to be provided for, if a lot of things are automated.  Clearly economy will need to adapt as well as the social order, but that's what gradual changes do anyway.

Agreed. The elimination of labour through technology has always been met with a degree of criticism but has always a net benefit.

[Malphas]

I wonder how many packages AND drones will "go missing", depending on how low they fly. People will have much less consciensce about taking something that's flying over their home than holding up a delivery driver.

About the whole "self-driving" car thing. I can see it working if ALL the cars are self-driving. Add just one human driver and you introduce a totally unpredictable factor, since you can't predict how the human will react in a given situation. Accidents are bound to happen. If they have their own roads, then no worries, but I don't trust mixing automated vehicles and human-controlled ones. And this is even assuming the control software and hardware is as good as human perception for things like black ice, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcycles, etc.

Yes, all those automated cars work fine on the roads in California, but if they were to do a trial run in - let's say your residence, Finland - in January then I suspect within about 30 seconds they'd all have spun out of control, slid off the road, or smashed into each other. Although to be fair, on the rare occasion California gets freezing temperatures that's what happens with all the human drivers anyway.

[C5Allroad]

Do I get to keep the box?
I don't think it's available in the US... Seeing as the NSA will say things like NO DRONES. I thought they were illegal anyway?

[SpAmRaY]

Do I get to keep the box?
I don't think it's available in the US... Seeing as the NSA will say things like NO DRONES. I thought they were illegal anyway?

FCC is working on it....

[C5Allroad]

Ooh. That would be really cool to have in Miami. If only though.

[SpAmRaY]

Well once drones are 'acceptable' then there will be good ones and bad ones.....and then the dream job of being a drone pilot cop will be a reality.....

I imagine drones will make wonderful delivery systems for drug dealers.

[C5Allroad]

For drug dealers... That actually makes some sense. You can buy a AR drone for your phone. It's pretty cool actually.

[tp4tissue]

Gas powered, it's gonna be pretty dangerous.

[C5Allroad]

Are you sure? I thought it would be electric.... You know with all this save to world yada yada.

[rowdy]

I an imagine people making drones that look like Vipers, or Tie fighters or whatever, and trying to shoot down the Amazon drones )

[C5Allroad]

I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't ship to the everglades... All of those people hunt.. They scare me too.

[tp4tissue]

Are you sure? I thought it would be electric.... You know with all this save to world yada yada.

they would need a huge battery station.. gas powered would greatly extend range..

although... they'd have to develop an entirely new industrial line of small engine because the hobby ones melt pretty quickly.

[C5Allroad]

Solar power?

[agodinhost]

Groupon will use one alternative solution: