Phil 9 Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 the latest amazon advert features Jeremy Clarkson delivering new amazon fire sticks by drone. Is this a subtle way of getting people used to the idea ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bravo Delta Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Not gonna happen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucksboy Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 They may well be thinking about it, they may well have people working on it but I don't think its anything more than advertising at the moment. The problems they face are massive, as model flyers we have a slightly better idea of the problems they face than the average person on the street. 1, Range. At the moment batteries will last for 20-30 minutes max with a tiny payload. So, they would need bases within 10-15 minutes flying time of our houses. Never mind the Civil Aviation side of things, thats a lot of bases that are required. All of which need to carry the stock that is being ordered. 2. What are they going to do if it rains? Will it affect the UAV? Never mind the customer who finds their package wet and ruined. It might not be raining where the UAV starts but it could be at the delivery address. 3. What if you don't have suitable landing pad? Free from obstructions and overhead wires. What will the people do who live in flats? Half the houses in my street have back gardens where a UAV could deliver a small parcel, but half the addresses are flats. The average customer will get pretty annoyed to find out that I can receive a delivery but they can't, just because I have a garden. 4. There are lots of 'no go' areas in the country where you can't fly, all of which will be in the way of the most direct route and therefore affecting point 1. How long would it take to fly around the Heathrow area? So, they would need a base to the North, a base to the South, one to the East and one to the West. All carrying the stock that we are likely to order, huge duplication for Amazon. All these bases would need to be built and staffed. I am sure there are far more problems than this to overcome and they may well have clever people working on it. It may well happen one day, but not for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 To say nothing of what happens when little children run up to the drone & stick their fingers in the props just as it's taking off again..... Great marketing but like much marketing not really vested in reality. I can't see it ever happening.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 And I can see an awful lot of them just vanishing with the message. "Never Arrived" or "Well I got the goods and it took off. Don't know anything about it" while people stock up on motors and lipos etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 9 Posted September 20, 2016 Author Share Posted September 20, 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 That's ok but what if the dog is in the garden and starts eating the box as soon as it arrives. Or someone with an order who doesn't have a garden the size of of a tennis court as in the advert? Oh I see ,it's a service for a land far,far away. Where the weather is always a perfect 22*c and the wind is alwaus a nice soft gentle warm breeze . And irate rednecks with shotguns are no where to be seen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Would it carry the dog away and drop it in the sea? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 9 Posted September 21, 2016 Author Share Posted September 21, 2016 Posted by cymaz on 21/09/2016 07:16:07: That's ok but what if the dog is in the garden and starts eating the box as soon as it arrives. Or someone with an order who doesn't have a garden the size of of a tennis court as in the advert? Oh I see ,it's a service for a land far,far away. Where the weather is always a perfect 22*c and the wind is alwaus a nice soft gentle warm breeze . And irate rednecks with shotguns are no where to be seen bit of a silly argument against it working? I don't think they are suggesting every delivery could be by air and would only be available by customer request. so if you don't have a suitable garden you would not request it as for the dog eating it the means of delivery makes no difference (ask your postman) weather will be a factor so it would suit some areas better than others and would not be available everywhere as for people trying to nick the stuff (they do that now) and again customer lead if you live in an area where it is likely someone would get to your delivery first you would not request an air delivery. it could never be the primary means of delivery but it may become an option for some Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Skilbeck Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 On the downside Amazon show drones that can fly from UK to France so joe public now assumes that consumer drones have similar range so the reports of drones intercepting airliners at 12,000 ft must be correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Posted by Phil 9 on 21/09/2016 08:26:49: Posted by cymaz on 21/09/2016 07:16:07: That's ok but what if the dog is in the garden and starts eating the box as soon as it arrives. Or someone with an order who doesn't have a garden the size of of a tennis court as in the advert? Oh I see ,it's a service for a land far,far away. Where the weather is always a perfect 22*c and the wind is alwaus a nice soft gentle warm breeze . And irate rednecks with shotguns are no where to be seen bit of a silly argument against it working? I don't think they are suggesting every delivery could be by air and would only be available by customer request. so if you don't have a suitable garden you would not request it as for the dog eating it the means of delivery makes no difference (ask your postman) weather will be a factor so it would suit some areas better than others and would not be available everywhere as for people trying to nick the stuff (they do that now) and again customer lead if you live in an area where it is likely someone would get to your delivery first you would not request an air delivery. it could never be the primary means of delivery but it may become an option for some Bit of a silly advert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 9 Posted September 21, 2016 Author Share Posted September 21, 2016 I guess so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 9 Posted September 21, 2016 Author Share Posted September 21, 2016 Posted by Percy Verance on 21/09/2016 14:28:25: The sheer logistical problems and issues Amazon might face if they chose to press ahead are huge indeed. As mentioned earlier in the thread, they'd need hundreds more depots all over the UK. Given that they're very much a price point orientated organisation, I don't see how this adds up. All those extra depots will mean business rates, additional budgets for wages, electricity etc (all those drone batteries need charging). Not to mention dozens more vans/drivers to get the airmail parcels to the correct depot prior to it finally being drone delivered. Nope, it aint gonna happen anytime soon..... It's a pie in the sky idea from a comic. I rather think Amazon chose Jeremy Clarkson to front the advert for a reason........ after all, he can come across as a bit *unreal* at times. Edited By Percy Verance on 21/09/2016 14:34:28 If it ever gets started I would not have thought that 100% coverage would be their aim. It may work better in rural/remote areas and developing counties there has been research for similar systems to be used to deliver drugs ect in parts of Africa (not from amazon) I think technically speaking it is achievable whether legislation will allow it is another matter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn K Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 I don't think it will be targeted for Rural areas - because of the limited range available. It would make much more sense to have distribution points in each major city and therefore within 75% of the population. The scheme would be totally worthless unless stock was available locally for immediate dispatch Martyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 Ooops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lee Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 I'd rather have it delivered by the other sort of model Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 I saw on CNBC that UPS were doing trials with a drone in the US for "rural locations". Here Edited By cymaz on 24/09/2016 23:34:15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted September 25, 2016 Share Posted September 25, 2016 Posted by Bucksboy on 20/09/2016 20:36:04: They may well be thinking about it, they may well have people working on it but I don't think its anything more than advertising at the moment. The problems they face are massive, as model flyers we have a slightly better idea of the problems they face than the average person on the street. 1, Range. At the moment batteries will last for 20-30 minutes max with a tiny payload. So, they would need bases within 10-15 minutes flying time of our houses. Never mind the Civil Aviation side of things, thats a lot of bases that are required. All of which need to carry the stock that is being ordered. 2. What are they going to do if it rains? Will it affect the UAV? Never mind the customer who finds their package wet and ruined. It might not be raining where the UAV starts but it could be at the delivery address. 3. What if you don't have suitable landing pad? Free from obstructions and overhead wires. What will the people do who live in flats? Half the houses in my street have back gardens where a UAV could deliver a small parcel, but half the addresses are flats. The average customer will get pretty annoyed to find out that I can receive a delivery but they can't, just because I have a garden. 4. There are lots of 'no go' areas in the country where you can't fly, all of which will be in the way of the most direct route and therefore affecting point 1. How long would it take to fly around the Heathrow area? So, they would need a base to the North, a base to the South, one to the East and one to the West. All carrying the stock that we are likely to order, huge duplication for Amazon. All these bases would need to be built and staffed. I am sure there are far more problems than this to overcome and they may well have clever people working on it. It may well happen one day, but not for a while. Amazon are really just 'grandstanding' with this drone delivery nonsense. If they want to offer a 30 minute service, or certainly within the hour, just use a motorcycle courier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Jones Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 Reading this thread I can't help but be amused by such a large amount of ill informed speculation. Do any of you actually work for Amazon, I suspect not, so how do you know what's actually going on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucksboy Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 No, you're right, I don't work for Amazon or anyone remotely connected to them. I do know a bit about current capabilities of drones though. The advert shows a pair of trainers being delivered, a very typical sized delivery. I accept that they may well have people working on their drones and overcoming all the technical problems that I believe they face. I have no problem accepting that they will overcome all these problems and more that I've haven't foreseen. But, I am only expressing an opinion that I believe they are being a bit adventurous in teasing people into believing this sort of delivery system is about to be launched. With the existing capabilities of drones, their lifting power and therefore their range, I believe it's not much more than advertising. So come on, this is a bit of idle chitter chatter on a model flying forum, none of it's important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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