Tonight on 60 Minutes, Jeff Bezos unveiled the Amazon Prime Air service. If 2 day delivery wasn’t good enough for you before, you can try getting it within a half hour using the Amazon Prime Air service. The secretly developed service utilizes octocopters to deliver small packages up to 5 pounds and within 10 miles of the fulfillment center. Shipments could arrive within 30 minutes of pushing the “Buy Now” button.
How soon can you expect a flying robot to deliver your favorite CD? Jeff emphasizes that this is not something that is coming right around the corner. He says he is optimistic in hoping for implementation within 4 – 5 years citing the FAA implementing rules and regulations for civil drone use by 2015. Do you think the FAA will have rules in place by then?
There is not a lot of information provided by Amazon at this time on the model. As a DIY multi rotor builder, I would love to pop the hood off this guy and take a peek at its insides. What kind of flight control software do you think they are using? What kind of battery capacities? It looks like they are using a simple aluminum cross frame construction for the frame with pancake low kv motors and large carbon fiber (?) props.
Watching the video makes me wonder what kind of hurdles will have to be overcome for this system to be implemented. The complexity of the system is mind boggling. Amazon will have to have the blessing of the FAA and comply with all rules and regulations. There will be significant public concern to overcome, Amazon will have to convince the public that this is a safe system, and that they will not have to worry about drones falling on their heads because someone couldn’t wait two days to get a book. What if someone puts in a bogus shipping address with stolen payment information and just abducts one of these fancy delivery drones?
Check out the Amazon promotional video below.
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