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AMAZON HAS REVEALED its latest drone prototype which it says will be able to deliver packages in 30 minutes or less.
Details released by the company show the Prime Air drone to be able to carry packages weighing up to five pounds. It weighs less than 55 pounds and will fly under 400 feet.
The new prototype is different to the original one that it revealed almost two years ago, looking more like an airplane this time around. Much like the original prototype, the company still aims to deliver packages in the space of 30 minutes.
The other safety element is what it calls ‘sense and avoid’ technology that can detect any obstacles in the air and ground and avoid collisions. The drone can fly for 15 miles, and its design will be adjusted to suit different environments.
“We are testing many different vehicle designs and delivery mechanisms to discover how best to deliver packages in a variety of environments,” said the company in a statement. “We have more than a dozen prototypes that we’ve developed in our research and development labs. The look and characteristics of the vehicles will evolve over time”.
The demo video shows it delivering packages to those in rural areas – requiring buyers to place an ‘A’ symbol on the ground to show it the best place to land - but it did not show how it will deliver to people in urban areas.
The company says it will be testing the drones in multiple international locations, but regulations surrounding the use of drones differs from country to country. Ireland is one country in the EU which has legislation governing the use of drones.
“We will deploy when and where we have the regulatory support needed to safely realise our vision,” said the company.
I can envisage that awkward moment when the drone hovers in front of you waiting for a tip.
The thieves of our fair nation would only ambush the drone and take your stuff
Rumour has it that Ryanair even had to change their landing approach as when they came in low over certain areas of our capital the little gurriers had the wheels off the planes. True story.
So the drone can fly for 15 miles and works best in rural areas?
So does that mean there will need to be an Amazon warehouse everywhere in the country within 30 miles of each other for this to work? No because that would defeat the purpose of keeping costs low.
To put it another way, how many rural areas are within 15 miles of an Amazon warehouse? Not enough to make it worthwhile.
This initiative is just a publicity stunt !
In the future every time a bad guy with a riffle see one of these drones he could just shoot it out of the sky and rob its contents….. cant see this taking off… sorry for the pun!!
Couldn’t get past Clarkson in the video. Amazon drones are dead to me now.
Any drones that fly over my property are fair game to be taken down, I don’t care if they are owned by a business or private. No-one has the right (bar the Garda or equivalent) to fly anything like these over my property.
What would make you think a garda of equivalent would have the power to fly a drone over your house. The gards and government agencies have to obey the same laws as every one… unless they can prove your up to no good and get a court order/warrent from a judge to do so..
Would you shoot down a helicopter or glider going over your property? The only difference is that a drone would be unmanned and smaller. Perhaps you’re imagining they’d be flying at a lower altitude then you’d expect? This wouldn’t be similar to some pesky teenager flying his RC helicopter over your land!
Think you just answered your own question there John Joe, they would need to follow the same channels as a search warrant.
Other than that I’ll do my best to take them down. I’ve a teenage daughter, 7 year old boy and 2 year old girl as well as my wife in my house and I’ll not allow seething with video recording capability to fly over my property where God knows who could be recording them.
Totally different Colm, drones do not have to obey air traffic controls, and helicopters would not fly under 400 feet over a residential area unless it’s the Garda and when they are doing it they are doing it for the good of the public.
Are you legal allowed to destroy another persons property be it a drone or what every if it is on your property or indeed flying over your property with out your permission?
Will you be using a fighter drone to intercept or some sort of ground to air missile system?
No idea on that John Joe, would have to cross that bridge if It came to it. Private drones would be easier as there are laws about recording on someone’s property without their knowledge.
Bench, again private would be easier as they are lower flying. Throwing something at them or a longish stick would work.
Iv a boomerang my brother brought home from Australia… sure il call up we can give it a go on one… any drones fly by yours today??
Do they kids in your neighbourhood ever get their balls back?
What makes you think you own the air above your property?
Here’s a hint; you don’t!
Do you think that Michael O’Leary has to go asking homeowners’ permission every time one of his planes wants to fly anywhere?
John, you don’t own the airspace over your home. If you damage a drone that’s criminal vandalism. Enjoy your community service.
Don’t you just love the advertisements have taken to portraying the Dad figure as not knowing what to do and the Mom figure as being the one with the answer. Not just Amazon.
A case of reverse sexism, that it’s okay to portray men as “thicks” in advertising is wrong just as it is for women.
I wonder if they will finally start paying their taxes by drone
So the done can fly 15 miles? Just use a van and a driver. For God’s sake.
One way to avoid the cost of excessive road tax – that is until the following budget.
please tell us more about the excessive road tax. In Ireland we have Motor Tax, which for commercial vehicles is quite low and indeed Last October it was cut from over 5k for Artic Trucks down to below 1k.
If the drones have a range of only 15 miles, they can only deliver 7.5 miles from base, even less if you want to allow a safety margin. They would need a much better range than that, or to build a depot every 15 miles – unthinkable.
It will never happen for health and safety reasons. Personally I think it’s a publicly stunt by Amazon and a good one at that
Can’t get Amazon Prime in Ireland I think drones are least of our problems!!!
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