Home Deliveries by Drones Becoming Everyday Reality

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Amazon has announced a partnership with the UK Government to explore the steps needed to make the delivery of parcels by small drones a reality. The company claims it’ll eventually mean small parcels will arrive at your house within 30 minutes of ordering them online.

Ministers say they want to pave the way for all businesses to start using the technology in future, but they will still have to convince the public that having automated drones flying around is both safe and won’t invade people’s privacy. The UK government says the work will help it draw up new rules and regulations for the future, so that all companies can take advantage of drone technology, which it claims could eventually be worth billions.

The trials will look at cracking three big problems:

•  How can you operate drones safely beyond “line of sight”? The current rules say a pilot has to be able to see the aircraft at all times
•  How can you build a drone that won’t bump into things? Much like autonomous cars it would need sensors to help it avoid objects
•  How can you build a system where one pilot is responsible for many drones?

A number of systems are being tried, according to bbc.com, but the current favourite seems to be a machine that’s part aeroplane and part helicopter.

It can fly at 50mph (80km/h) for 10 miles (16km) or more away from base, at a height of around 350ft (100m).

When it reaches the delivery address, it comes down vertically onto a special landing mat that the buyer will place on their property. So you could have parcels popped into your back garden for security.

The company also claims it’s working on ways to make the machines quieter and it says they won’t have cameras on, just sensors. The companies’ press release message also stated that the ground-breaking work will help Amazon and the Government understand how drones can be used safely and reliably in the logistics industry. It will also help identify what operating rules and safety regulations will be needed to help move the drone industry forward.

Seffield University professor Noel Sharkey who is also currently a judge on the BBC’s Robot Wars programme – voices concern about the growth of drones.

“All information is stealable and all drones hackable.  Anybody could steal one to deliver drugs or bombs. The Taliban have been hacking into military drones for years, stealing video feeds, using a bit of software they got from Sweden. Hezbollah did it for years with Israeli military drones”. Concerning the future Prof Sharkey said he’s worried that the aviation authorities are interested in safety, but not privacy: “We need a broader societal discussion; not just the government and Amazon getting into a huddle for the sake of the economy.”