Victory Road  

Go Back   Victory Road > General > General Chat

Notices

 
 
Search this Thread
  #1  
Old December 3, 2013, 08:44:15 PM
Cat333Pokémon's Avatar
Cat333Pokémon Cat333Pokémon is offline
Administrator

 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Nevada
Posts: 10,303
Default Amazon planning delivery drones

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/1...n_4369685.html
http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/02/tech/i...ons/index.html
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wir...rones-21067216

You've probably heard about this by now, but Amazon is working on the usage of drones to deliver packages more efficiently than via traditional ground travel in trucks. After reading those articles with details, what do you folks think?


I think it's possible, but there are a lot of potential problems.
  • One I've heard a bit about is shooting them down. In some states, it's perfectly legal to shoot low-flying objects in the airspace above your property (obviously not commercial and military aircraft). The shooter could not only steal parts from the drone but could also steal your goods.
  • Another problem is that the FAA has plenty of regulations prohibiting such drones from flying over homes, and it would probably be a nightmare to settle something like this with as few question marks as possible.
  • Next, what happens if one breaks down and crashes? Depending on where it happens, it could be a catastrophe. Of course, delivery trucks aren't terribly reliable based on statistics of automobile accidents.
  • In the same vein, what if one encounters an unforeseen anomaly, i.e. something it has not been programmed to deal with? They're probably going to be equipped with world-class evasion, mapping, and weather routines, but what if a critical component malfunctions or something stupid like a person holding a sheet of purple paper in front of the camera?
  • What would happen to the postal services that currently cater to all of Amazon's deliveries?
The technology sounds amazing and futuristic, but Amazon requires a top-notch team to nail this idea.
  #2  
Old December 3, 2013, 08:57:49 PM
Cyrus's Avatar
Cyrus Cyrus is offline
Moderator

 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: My snow bunker.
Posts: 1,508
Default

I had to do a double-take when I first read about this the other day.

My reaction was one of disbelief, such as "Really? This is a thing now?" and "I never imagined this sort of technology this early in my life."

This is roughly my reaction, in video form:
  #3  
Old December 3, 2013, 11:06:35 PM
PureAurorae's Avatar
PureAurorae PureAurorae is offline
Haxorus
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 444
Default

I think this is stupid. Personally I think that things such as drones will make the already few job opportunities even less.
  #4  
Old December 4, 2013, 12:10:02 AM
kakashidragon's Avatar
kakashidragon kakashidragon is offline
Kyurem
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Where i belong
Posts: 2,045
Default

The only scary thing about this, is if one of these things flys up to your door and shoots you in the face! Imagine if someone did shoot one down and re-equips it with weapons to this to you.
  #5  
Old December 4, 2013, 05:15:38 AM
Magmaster12's Avatar
Magmaster12 Magmaster12 is offline
Rayquaza
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: You would know
Posts: 4,872
Default

Amazon just needs to wait for Congress (lol) to vote to make shooting down a drone a federal offense, because regardless of what it's used for there will always be a red neck trying to shoot one down until it's a federal offense.
  #6  
Old December 4, 2013, 05:34:53 AM
Yoshi648's Avatar
Yoshi648 Yoshi648 is offline
Administrator

 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Yoshi's Island
Posts: 3,147
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cat333Pokémon
One I've heard a bit about is shooting them down. In some states, it's perfectly legal to shoot low-flying objects in the airspace above your property (obviously not commercial and military aircraft). The shooter could not only steal parts from the drone but could also steal your goods.
  #7  
Old December 4, 2013, 06:06:09 AM
Dragonite's Avatar
Dragonite Dragonite is offline
Keldeo
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Your refrigerator.
Posts: 1,083
Default

When a truck breaks down in the middle of nowhere, nobody cares because the driver can just get out and call AAA or whichever organization specializes in dealing with trucks.

When a drone breaks down in the middle of nowhere, have fun tracking it down and seeing if you can possibly recover its cargo.
  #8  
Old December 4, 2013, 06:21:02 AM
Twiggy's Avatar
Twiggy Twiggy is offline
Kyurem
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Somewhere interesting?
Posts: 2,098
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dragonite View Post
When a drone breaks down in the middle of nowhere, have fun tracking it down and seeing if you can possibly recover its cargo.
GPS works as long as there's a clear line of sight between the device and GPS satellites. A data connection just makes getting a "fix" easier.
  #9  
Old December 4, 2013, 10:55:27 AM
Cat333Pokémon's Avatar
Cat333Pokémon Cat333Pokémon is offline
Administrator

 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Nevada
Posts: 10,303
Default

Satellite communication is still more reliable than cellular communication, so the drone probably would have a better chance. Then again, I don't know much about on-board communication in delivery trucks.
  #10  
Old December 5, 2013, 07:49:32 AM
Twiggy's Avatar
Twiggy Twiggy is offline
Kyurem
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Somewhere interesting?
Posts: 2,098
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cat333Pokémon View Post
Satellite communication is still more reliable than cellular communication, so the drone probably would have a better chance. Then again, I don't know much about on-board communication in delivery trucks.
They probably use some combination of satellite and wireless communication. I'd bet that it's probably a combination of GPS and a mobile data connection.

(You know, a mobile data connection can help a lot in getting the location of something. Coarse location data from triangulation and all that. Mobile data is pretty important for Assisted GPS since it pretty much means the GPS unit only has to try for satellites that are really there. You can get a GPS fix from "instantly" to 10 seconds, instead of 30-60 seconds. Also works better indoors.)

Last edited by Twiggy; December 5, 2013 at 07:50:22 AM.
  #11  
Old December 5, 2013, 07:56:47 AM
RotomGuy's Avatar
RotomGuy RotomGuy is offline
Celebi
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Woop.
Posts: 1,461
Default

This is one of those problems that has a bunch of very positive positives and a bunch of very very negative negatives.

My reaction to this though was "Am I reading this correctly? Is this happening?"
  #12  
Old December 5, 2013, 08:03:54 AM
Dragonite's Avatar
Dragonite Dragonite is offline
Keldeo
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Your refrigerator.
Posts: 1,083
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Twiggy View Post
GPS works as long as there's a clear line of sight between the device and GPS satellites. A data connection just makes getting a "fix" easier.
I don't mean losing the drone, I mean going out in the middle of the woods to recover it. Or even better, the middle of the Atlantic.
  #13  
Old December 5, 2013, 09:43:04 AM
Twiggy's Avatar
Twiggy Twiggy is offline
Kyurem
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Somewhere interesting?
Posts: 2,098
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dragonite View Post
I don't mean losing the drone, I mean going out in the middle of the woods to recover it. Or even better, the middle of the Atlantic.
Going off the rails would probably raise a lot of warning flags in the first place, but in that case, it's just a matter of whether you're able to reach it in the first place. Remember that it's near impossible to lose GPS tracking outdoors.
  #14  
Old December 5, 2013, 10:13:22 AM
Yoshi648's Avatar
Yoshi648 Yoshi648 is offline
Administrator

 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Yoshi's Island
Posts: 3,147
Default

These are only being used within a 10 mile radius of the distribution warehouses so overseas and in the middle of nowhere forests are out of the question.
  #15  
Old December 5, 2013, 04:44:31 PM
Dragonite's Avatar
Dragonite Dragonite is offline
Keldeo
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Your refrigerator.
Posts: 1,083
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yoshi648 View Post
These are only being used within a 10 mile radius of the distribution warehouses so overseas and in the middle of nowhere forests are out of the question.
Well, that's a little reassuring. I suppose it's also, oh, a federal crime to tamper with peoples' mail, too, so that (might) take care of the other issue. Should be interesting to see how this plays out.
  #16  
Old January 14, 2014, 05:41:46 PM
Sub-zero's Avatar
Sub-zero Sub-zero is offline
Regigigas
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Lin Kuei Temple, Arctika
Posts: 742
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yoshi648 View Post
These are only being used within a 10 mile radius of the distribution warehouses so overseas and in the middle of nowhere forests are out of the question.
Lol, what the heck? Then is this even worth it or is it just for experimenting purposes? I haven't kept up with this story, but I know they're still planning on moving forward with this stuff.
  #17  
Old January 18, 2014, 10:16:39 PM
TurtwigX's Avatar
TurtwigX TurtwigX is offline
Giratina
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Strawberry Field- permanent stay
Posts: 3,060
Default

This sounds too expensive for them to be risking on such excursions. If this works well then I suppose they'll move forward unto more areas. I know one day I plan to live in a nothing area of Arizona, but I have to say that having a drone fly something to my house would be a fun sight.

Last edited by TurtwigX; January 18, 2014 at 10:16:52 PM.
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -8.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Victory Road ©2006 - 2024, Scott Cat333Pokémon Cheney
Theme by A'bom and Cat333Pokémon