The logistics of Amazon’s new drone delivery service

The Seattle retailer hopes to be able to deliver packages within 15 minutes with its fleet of aeroplane-like drones that are able to take off vertically and then glide to its destination with a range of 15 miles. This, however, could be disrupted by FAA, which is expected to finalise rules next year that prohibit drones from flying out-of-sight of their operators.

Amazon’s new video to promote its drone delivery service shows the drone carrying a small package within its body, rising horizontally then gliding off to the delivery location. In flight, it’s able to spot hazards such as a hot air balloon and will then scan for somewhere to land to make the delivery.

From the video, it seems that it’s the consumer who will have to select where the drone will land. Some say that in more built up areas this service may involve a central depot much like the delivery lockers that are already available at places such as 7-Eleven.

Amazon hopes that this quick delivery service will help to reduce the amount of trucks on the road and will make deliveries possible where other providers might not be able to.

There are a number of questions surrounding the new promotional video for this service and the obstacles that these drones will have to overcome. It seems they’ll need a wide open area, free of hazards such as pets, telephone lines and trees to land and faster moving objects such as birds may present a problem.

While Amazon is overcoming a number of technological road blocks, it’ll probably still be a number of years before we see deliveries being made in this way on a regular basis.

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