Amazon's New Delivery Drone Is Sleeker, Smarter, And Still Illegal!
Language
Reading Level
Listen to Article
Two years ago, Jeff Bezos, the founder, and CEO of retail giant Amazon Inc. announced that the company would soon be introducing Amazon Prime Air - A new 30-minute delivery service using unmanned drones. Timed to coincide with the country's biggest online shopping day - 'Cyber Monday,' the news generated a lot of excitement among consumers. Unfortunately, thanks to the U.S. Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), the service has yet to 'take off!' But Amazon has not given up.
On November 30th, which also happened to be 'Cyber Monday', the company released a video of a new and improved drone. Adorned with Amazon's signature blue, white, and yellow colors, the delivery vehicle is larger than the one unveiled in 2013.
It can travel a distance of 15-miles at speeds of up to 55mph. Although the new drone takes off vertically like a quadcopter, its hybrid design that includes a rear propeller allows it to fly like an airplane.
To avoid both foot and air traffic, the drone is built to fly at a 'safe' altitude of 400-feet. Advanced sensors ensure that the autonomous vehicle can avoid obstacles both while in the air, and also during take off and landing.
Also, unlike the previous prototype, this one does not drop the packages to the ground. Instead, it seeks out a predesignated landing area chosen by the customer. To ensure that the drop-off zone is clear, and the parcel does not fall into wrong hands, the drone is programmed to notify the client its exact arrival time.
Sounds too good to be true? Well, it is for now given that FAA officials are still trying to decide how to regulate commercial drones. But Amazon is not worried. The company officials are so confident that Amazon Prime Air will be a reality soon that they are busy developing a 'family' of drones to handle all kinds of weather and terrain. But for now, we will just have to live with the “inconvenience” of waiting at least two days to receive our urgent packages!
Resources: npr.com,refinery29.com,gizmag.com
Cite Article
Learn Keywords in this Article
1110 Comments
- Nameabout 10 yearssick guys! :)
- Mark S.about 10 yearsCan't blame the FAA for not giving this plan the OK yet. The FAA is currently working on rules for drones and sooner or later they will be flying. Can't say I like this plan though. Packages are currently put at front or rear doors to house. Too easy to steal packages sitting in a yard and with a Drone landing in your yard, it'll be more obvious you have a package to steal. What about wind? Will Drone land in my yard if wind is blowing hard? I have trees, power lines and a dog. What about rain? UPS and Fed Ex leave my packages in certain places when it rains, places a drone could not get to. What about snow? Package could slide and roll down a hill, could sink in snow, could get wet in melting snow. What about the other drone delivery services that will surely be in the air also? Can't wait to see two drone crash into each other while trying to deliver packages to the same house.
- cool girlabout 10 yearsthats cool
- JBabout 10 yearsBillionaire Businesses make it work by Lobbying. Does not matter if it is cool. What matters is how powerful businesses can make illegal things legal.
- HIHIHIHIHIHabout 10 yearscool very cool
- epicabout 10 yearsthat is simply epic
- eggabout 10 yearsamazing
- GalacticCatabout 10 yearsIf Amezon is waiting for Gov. bureaucrats to give Go-Ahead they will wait a very long time.
blackbear0about 10 yearsI have heard about Amazon Prime Air Before. It has always sounded like an awesome idea and I hope it becomes a reality soon
donbenitoabout 10 yearsThis is awesome!!!!! But it is very scary 😬😬😬