Amazon Drones

[Mike Griffin]

I wonder if they will have to cancel deliveries when Air Force One is in the area?  Cant wait to see the effect on model aviation these things are going to cause.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/02/tech/innovation/amazon-drones-questions/

[George Grossardt]

Really interesting concept.  Since I work in transportation and logistics, this concept fascinates me.  I am sure the small package guys aren't thrilled...unless they plan to join them.  Drivers are not easy to find. Easier for local jobs than OTR.

Anyway, I wonder what this does to the RC community?  More and more regulation would be my guess. 

[Brett Buck]

I wonder if they will have to cancel deliveries when Air Force One is in the area?  Cant wait to see the effect on model aviation these things are going to cause.

   I can't wait to see what effect a baseball bat has on the drone. There is no software in the world that will make it safe for a drone, autonomously, near people.

   Brett

   

[John Sunderland]

I immediately thought how much fun I might have with pellet gun shooting at these things. Im sure I wasnt the only one either.

[George]

Almost as bad as when RC, garage door openers, and some traffic lights were all on 27.255 MHZ. 

George

[Dave_Trible]

And when the first kid or dog runs into the rotor blades......

Dave

[Mike Keville]

Should be interesting to hear how the Academy of Mostly ARFs feels about this.

[Dan McEntee]

   I think the CEO is just reaching for headlines. I don't think it will "fly" with the FAA. Since it will be a commercial operation, I think each one of these things will have to have an N number, and be subject to more strict inspection than an air liner. Factor in weather, and surrounding obsticals like trees mail boxes, large vehicals, other buildings, there is no way one could privide an answer for all the possible ways this could fail. There is lots of common sense sitting out there reading this and if you just think about it a minute, you'll reach the same conclusion. They are talking about a ten mile radius. Do you realize how many "stations" they will have to have, and the logistics of getting these 5 pound packages to the correct one? The cost of constructing and manning these stations? You might as well just send it out by truck like it is now, and leave the maintenance and upkeep to UPS, USPS and FedEx. A LOT of people will have to order A WHOLE HECK OF A LOT of cd's, dvd's, and small books to cover what it will cost to implimenet on any kind of scale to make it worth while. Weather alone is enough to make one wonder. My resident UAV operator (when he's home) isn't available to ask for an opinion, but if he get a chance I'm sure he'll pop in. My take is I don't see it happening.
   Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[Douglas Ames]

   I can't wait to see what effect a baseball bat has on the drone. There is no software in the world that will make it safe for a drone, autonomously, near people.

   Brett

I'd love to be the first one to take a swing!
...And what about the weather? Are they going to have a contingency plan for that? Did they think about Fido guarding the front porch? Didn't see any rotor protection on that whirlybird either. This concept might work in a factory in an enclosed, controlled environment.

[Randy Cuberly]

I immediately thought how much fun I might have with pellet gun shooting at these things. Im sure I wasnt the only one either.

Pellet gun???  I think My Barrett 338 will be more fun than that!  

Sorry...just a little bit of fun...but I do think this whole drone thing in populated areas is a ridiculous idea...what happens when the control systems are hacked by crooks to steal the packages or worse yet by terrorists to cause damage...actually with hundreds of these things in the air at the same time will it be safe to walk down the street without a shotgun!
I believe in free enterprise but this just strikes me a lunacy!
Of course they will never malfunction and hit something right?....RIGHT!!!

Randy C.

[Dan McEntee]

   Hey Randy;
     Yeah, just think of the logistics involved, and how large of a network they would need to get the small packages so they can be delivered......... ONE AT A TIME........ instead of 50 to 60 packages on a Fed-Ex, UPS or US Mail truck. The efficiency just isn't there, I just read another article on line where this whole thing is just being considered an elaborate "commercial" for Amazon, thus the reason for the spot to be aired on 60 Minutes the day before Cyber Monday!!!!! That makes a whole lot more sense and is more than likely the sole purpose. Just a bit of advertising at CBS's expense! I wonder how much a commercial would have cost them for a Sunday night during prime time? Not just air time, total production costs included. Nah, it'll never happen.
   Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[Dennis Moritz]

Never happen. On the scrap heap. Same as the hover car, or Jet pack for your back, or electric powered control line stunters.

[MarcusCordeiro]

Isn't that the way Skynet started???

Marcus

[Avaiojet]

R/C guys will be using the drones for parts. Some CL guys maybe.

[Mike Griffin]

Should be interesting to hear how the Academy of Mostly ARFs feels about this.

I like that Mike.  Never heard that one before but it suits them.

Mike

[Joe Just]

I like the yellow box! How do I get one?  OK, I got it, order a book and add $12 for the box, $17 for the delivery and $8 for the book.  Right now I am close to 300 miles from the Amazon warehouse and I really doubt if a Drone will fly that far both ways.  While I wait I can easily drive into Walla Walla and pick the book up.
Joe

[FLOYD CARTER]

Is this the same guy who predicted a personal helicopter in every garage?  The concept was that you could avoid the morning commuter jams on the freeway.  Just hop into your own heli, and soar over all the others stuck in traffic.

F.C.

[Mike Griffin]

So you can choose from millions of products and have them dropped right at your door step by a miniature drone but you will not be able to choose your own doctor.  Yeah that makes sense...

Mike

[Steve Helmick]

The technology will be very adaptable for moving 'pharmaceuticals' across international boundaries, so plan on a hijacking threat from the cartels.    Steve

[Mike Griffin]

I can think of about 103 things that can go wrong with this concept. 

[RandySmith]

The CEO  is an idiot if he thinks that will work..the list of problems with this is almost endless

Randy

[Doug Moon]

They said 87% of annual sales are products that could be carried by one of these drones and fall in the 10 mile radius that these drones would fly under.  

When you consider their total revenue for 2011 was $48,000,000,000.00 and their revenue for 2012 was $61,000,000,000.00 (yes those are billions) (another way to look at it is, for 2012 they brought in $169 million a day EVERY day of the year) It would only make sense for them to try to use the highest forms of technology to increase those numbers even more so.  It is not a far reach for a company with that kind of dominance in the market place to think that far out.  Will it come to fruition?  I don't think so, for many of the reasons listed here and many more we don't even know about.  

But they are thinking out of the box and that's how they got where they are now....with their $61B revenue sheet....

Idiot or not they are killing it in the market place and there is no signs of slowing down.  We used them this year for much of the Christmas shopping and it made it so easy and its just as affordable and sometimes more so with ALOT less hassle.

[John Stiles]

Pellet gun???  I think My Barrett 338 will be more fun than that!  


Randy C.

That's sorta complicated...I think I'll go with my Long-Tom goose gun, 3.5" magnum #4s  

[bill bischoff]

This thread is open to public viewing and scrutiny. Perhaps the modelling community would be better served if we kept the threats of shooting things, whether serious or not, to ourselves.

[wwwarbird]

This thread is open to public viewing and scrutiny. Perhaps the modelling community would be better served if we kept the threats of shooting things, whether serious or not, to ourselves.

 Good point Bill. It might not even be a bad idea for our moderators to lock this one down. The Amazon drone isn't going to happen anyway, it's all just a well timed marketing attention getter right before Christmas. And by the looks of this, it's working.

[Howard Rush]

I think it's a cool idea. 

[Mike Keville]

Can't you just see it if several of them arrived at the same neighborhood at the same time?  Great video footage for those youtube sites showing crashes, disasters and other R/C clusterf##ks.

[Frank Imbriaco]

Windy days  should be hysterical.

 Gives new meaning to the Christmas jingle...

 "up on the rooftop" click, click, crash.

[Steve Fitton]

I think Bezos did it just to see if 60 Minutes would believe it or start laughing hysterically.

[john e. holliday]

For those that don't take time to read their Model Aviation each month.  The AMA is already looking into this hover craft problem.  I mean for less than $40.00 any body can have one and no license required.   Dan McEntee works in a hobby shop and has probably seen these going out the door.   I was in Hobby Haven last weekend watching the gentleman telling the interested buyer about the multi rotor craft.  I guess Amazon is relying on GPS to control their craft.  I just thought of the days when I flew CL without a license in my backyard or the local school ground.   It wasn't until I went to a contest that I learned about the license.   My grandson has already went through several of the miniature helicoptors.  I have also yelled at him about flying close to people with it.  But will be interesting the first time someone is injured flying these multicopters.  I think the alarmed was set off with the helicoptors,  with someone dying because of one.  I too think it is just an advertising ploy.  But, then again look at all the people it might put back to work getting  enough places for these things.  It will never come to be nationally, in my opinion.

[Bill Morell]

Injuries caused by these will most likely not be covered by Obamacare.

[Larry Wong]

This had to happen....
Check this out.

[catdaddy]

They said 87% of annual sales are products that could be carried by one of these drones and fall in the 10 mile radius that these drones would fly under.  

When you consider their total revenue for 2011 was $48,000,000,000.00 and their revenue for 2012 was $61,000,000,000.00 (yes those are billions) (another way to look at it is, for 2012 they brought in $169 million a day EVERY day of the year) It would only make sense for them to try to use the highest forms of technology to increase those numbers even more so.  It is not a far reach for a company with that kind of dominance in the market place to think that far out.  Will it come to fruition?  I don't think so, for many of the reasons listed here and many more we don't even know about.  

But they are thinking out of the box and that's how they got where they are now....with their $61B revenue sheet....

Idiot or not they are killing it in the market place and there is no signs of slowing down.  We used them this year for much of the Christmas shopping and it made it so easy and its just as affordable and sometimes more so with ALOT less hassle.

and there will never be any affordable competitive ARF's, and we can't send a man to the moon, small portable communication device, poppycock. Some things never change. I agree with you Doug, these guys are thinking outside the box.

[Will Hinton]

I immediately thought how much fun I might have with pellet gun shooting at these things. Im sure I wasnt the only one either.

John, John, John - c'mon, get real.  A pellot gun?  I just bought some more double ought buck loads for my double 12 - coyotes, I don' need to shoot no steenkin' coyotes when I got drones to blast.

[Randy Cuberly]

I think it's a cool idea. 

Uhhh which idea Howard....the Drones or shooting them down.

Anyone that would take this as a serious threat is more of a fool than anyone that thinks this could ever happen!  Give me a Break!!! 
Especially since I don't even have a Barret .338...It's a .50. 
Actually baseball bats might be more of a threat...especially to protect your kids or dogs.

Randy Cuberly 

[55chevr]

The filed with unmanned drones.  McDonalds food deliveries from the sky.  I don't think it work well in Manhattan.

Joe

[Jim Thomerson]

I'm in the cold dead hands group, but I can picture anti gun nuts chortling with glee as they quote mine this thread. 

Well, there is this: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/12/04/louisiana-company-uses-drones-to-hunt-feral-pigs/

[dave siegler]

Can't wait, Going order me a book and get a free drone out of the deal!

 

The motors and batteries should work fine in my nobler!


Wonder what the expected loss rate is?  How many will be knocked down and ripped off?   

[55chevr]

Not sure but I think they have 4 speed controllers ...

[Douglas Babb]

As they say in the world of trap and skeet, PULL!

[John Stiles]

Good thing the Mob hit-men didn't have access to these....wait a minute.....how heavy is a dirty bomb? Better start practicing my lead techniques. 

[john e. holliday]

Really, don't you think they should have waited until April 1st?

[peabody]

A class in "Drone Dropping" is already being planned at the local skeet and trap range.

[Rafael Gonzalez]

Joking aside. I know is funny and stress free to have a light look at current items in our news. But sometimes we need to address issues that may be detrimental to our hobby, lifestyle, privacy or freedom.  Again, this subject has NOTHING, again NOTHING to do with politics. It has to do with the effects it will have with our hobby.  Let it be  baseball, soccer, football or anything that can affect the right to participate in legal, enjoyable activities.

It is amazing how events change attitudes/opinions with  the transit of time. A while back (2011-12) I was/am very  concerned about the ramifications of UAVs. I posted note on the passing of the law that allowed these artifacts. See ( http://stunthanger.com/smf/index.php?topic=25323.0;topicseen) which was mostly deleted as it had several pages of discussions and point of views. I guess there is not enough room to keep all the posts, but perhaps some should  remain for follow ups. As an EE I kept every email that transpired within a project. One will be surprised how many times I was thrown in the shark pool and killed the ones that pushed me in!!!

One of the posts was labeled "If you see one of these, SHOOT THEM!" I was literally eaten alive... But that did not stop me from contacting the AMA and sending a note to
The gentleman in charge of UAV monitoring. He was aware of the possible branching of the bill and informed me that AMA was actively pursuing the events. In here, (MA) there were already helicopters filming videos for several companies.

In essence, this will never be allowed at the level that Amazon predicts. For one, it will exceed the allowed total weight of the craft. And for the other, the congestion of air space for other UAVs that are needed for security, safety and criminal activity will be hindered. The cost of the craft will be prohibitive!!
 They are forecasting a cost of $100 for delivery. The craft only goes within 10 miles of the warehouse distribution center.  You live 10 miles away and you will pay $100?
How dumb do they think the American public is?I will continuously fight to prevent the use of UAVs by the local hacker. Currently, no ID/Name tag rules, licensing, experience or insurance required.
As I said it then, I say it now. If I see any craft hovering around me, it will be going down
Please write to your Rep/Congress person and let them know how you feel, if you are concerned. If not,  it is OK too.

Best Regards

Rafael

[55chevr]

Rafael,
The powers at Amazon never for a moment thought that this was feasible. They managed to get Amazon on prime time broadcast news and it cost them nothing.  This was 4 weeks before Christmas. They tell the world how they are designing star wars delivery systems for their wonderful products and they have absolutely no plans to actually do it.  This was a great advertising stunt ... my compliments to Amazon.  The AMA should hire them for publicity.


Joe

[Rafael Gonzalez]

Rafael,
The powers at Amazon never for a moment thought that this was feasible. They managed to get Amazon on prime time broadcast news and it cost them nothing.  This was 4 weeks before Christmas. They tell the world how they are designing star wars delivery systems for their wonderful products and they have absolutely no plans to actually do it.  This was a great advertising stunt ... my compliments to Amazon.  The AMA should hire them for publicity.


Joe

 
That is my thought! HI-5!!!
By the way, I was incorrect. The ruling as of March 2013 is approved for less than 55 lbs. Only the military can fly above 400ft...

 

[john e. holliday]

I too would shoot down any drone that was hanging around my house, but my city law says I can't fire a shot gun in the city limits.   One of the reasons the deer and turkeys are becoming pets.   But, now go look at what the government can do with the satellites.   I could even see the cars that were parked in my drive way using Google maps.  I know the manufactures of such toys do not look at any thing other than their pockets.  Same with the stores that are selling the toys.   

[Rafael Gonzalez]

I too would shoot down any drone that was hanging around my house, but my city law says I can't fire a shot gun in the city limits.   One of the reasons the deer and turkeys are becoming pets.   But, now go look at what the government can do with the satellites.   I could even see the cars that were parked in my drive way using Google maps.  I know the manufactures of such toys do not look at any thing other than their pockets.  Same with the stores that are selling the toys.   

A good high speed pellet riffle will do just fine!!! I have a license to carry a large capacity concealed weapon but for the discharge there would be a lot of issues and paperwork. Too much trouble in MA... But a Pellet gun....
We will never see it. I guarantee... As far as crime, they just caught a scumbag that was steeling from DD cash registers. They suspected a guy but did not have the proof. He was very slippery and targeted the shops randomly. They got a court order to install a GPS on his car. All they needed was a couple of heists.. He gone now!!!  So a lot of more inexpensive and reliable ways are out there to avoid the UAVs in the city. There are more and more video cameras on the streets. That is how they caught the scumbags from Boston...

Best!