Google’s Delivery Drones Will Speak To You

Google’s Delivery Drones Will Speak To You

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Delivery drones are already dropping off packages, but Google is planning to bring its own special twist to the quickly growing market. While Amazon envisions customers living in places with big enough yards where drones can easily land, Google plans to bring drone deliveries for people who live in densely populated areas and don’t have enough space for a drone to touch down.

The company just filed a patent outlining a method for delivering packages to consumers – so far so good and so familiar. But Google’s idea is for a drone that doesn’t even need to land. Instead, the drone will hover above the delivery destination and slowly lower the package through a tether. Onboard sensors will tell the drone when the package has touched the ground, so it can cut it loose and retract the cable.

While ingenious, that’s not all. Google goes a step further and envisions us, humans, interacting with these drones by talking to them. Google’s patent indicates it plans on building a drone that can shout out to bystanders, warning them to move out of the way or be careful.

Beyond voice, the drones would also be equipped with warning lights that change colour to let you know if you should step back (red) or if you can retrieve your package (green).

Google has been working on delivery drones for years. The company plans to have a commercial drone delivery programme operating by 2017, according to Dave Vos, head of Project Wing, the subsidiary in charge of all things flying.