"Winging It"
The article I reviewed is about Drone technology that is currently in the prototype and testing stage by Google. For those who don't have a full understanding of this product the Drone is already being used for military purposes by the U.S. government so as to reduce the loss of human life, drones are unmanned flying machines that come in all shapes and sizes. The prototype Google is working with is dubbed the "Google X" and is a single-wing machine with four propellers. This is not the first arrival of commercial drone however; last year Amazon opened this discussion with the revelation that they have been testing small drones for the delivery of packages to their customers.
It will be at least 5-10 years before these drones would be able to clear all of the hurdles in its path for full commercial use however. Google has the responsibility of proving that this product is not only efficient but safe for air travel in the United States, also Google has to overcome what is expected to be many legal hurdles and air travel regulations. On top of that Google has to illustrate that the privacy of the purchaser will not be violated by these drones being intercepted or having technological issues with delivering the packages to the proper address.
Also to be noted with the "Google X" is the benefits these drones would provide may even outweigh any negative repercussions caused by widespread commercial use. The Drones would ease traffic in terms of less road traffic for delivering commercial packages and they may prove to be more environmentally-friendly than the typical road transportation. Google also envisions these drones being capable of delivering supplies to disaster ridden areas with ease and less congestion than the normal methods used which has been a recurring issue for the U.S. government.
One question that I can raise is how Google would avoid these packages being intercepted on a regular basis, I envision scenarios where many people have packages taken from the drop location at their homes or even taken out of the sky. Also, one question that I pose for those reading is whether or not you think the government should spend more time/money investing in widespread drone use for postal services or the before mentioned use in times of disaster.
Below is the link to the article from The Economist;
http://www.economist.com/news/business-and-finance/21614424-google-announces-its-own-delivery-drones-project-winging-it
The concept of drones used to deliver packages and mail is very intriguing. On one hand, it is an untapped market as no companies currently use drones to deliver mail for them. Many companies ship mail through the use of airplanes, but that is a separate entity that requires manual labor and many other costs. In some sense, the drones may be taking away some jobs because the need for pilots and truck drivers may decrease. Also, it does not mention how much the drones would be able to carry. It seems as if the current drones could only carry small packages, but what about larger ones? Another question is who will be on the receiving end of the drone deliveries (how will people know their mail has arrived)?
ReplyDeleteThe idea of using drones to ship packages is great but there are a few questions I have. Will there only be one base for these drones in each country that introduces this new idea or multiple across each country? Also what would happen if the package gets damaged or even dropped from the drone while in flight to its destination? I would love to see drones be used in he future to deliver packages but there needs to be a lot questions answered before any country implements this new idea.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I am a huge fan of science-fiction and this concept gets me very excited for the future. I think the successful implementation of drones in mail/package delivery will have an immediate and positive effect on the economy. Even if early drones are only able to carry regular mail and small packages, I would imagine large amounts of money would be saved by the shipping firms because they will pay much less for fueling trucks and planes and they would need many fewer workers to deliver the mail. While jobs may be cut because the drones can do the work, there would be more jobs created because drone technicians and operators would be needed. This was just a few of the things that come to my mind when thinking of the economic impact of drone technology and I'm sure there are countless other factors playing into the subject. I, for one, welcome our drone overlords and can't wait for the future to get here!
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion adding the drone technology to the current mailing services would result in a forward step into making things more efficient and ultimately save the sector more money. However; the question of the jobs being lost due to drone implementation could be a large hurdle in its introduction early on. Furthermore, in terms of drones being used in disaster ridden areas could be a very groundbreaking introduction, since it would be helpful in reaching places where ground services are hindered.Overall in its initial stages there might be many things to consider before a full fledged implementation.but; in my opinion the government should invest money into the program for future use.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of using drones to deliver goods is very exciting. However, I think it is important to consider the impact that this concept, if successful, would have on the labor market. Major companies like FedEx, USPS, and UPS would no longer need delivery people or truck drivers. It is important to weigh the benefits that the delivery drone would constitute, such as less traffic, against the overall effect the drone will have on the labor market.
ReplyDeleteI think that the introduction of drones to postal services is very intriguing. It sounds like it could greatly help with many issues that delivery companies face. However, the jobs that drones could potentially take away from postal workers could cause issues in the labor market. I definitely agree that the benefits of drone usage in postal delivery should be weighed with the costs before it is introduced.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there is any technical reason not to use drones. According to Amazon, they are looking at the usage of octocopters for packages of 5 pounds or less within a 10 mile radius. The distance and payload seem economical for the average consumer. However, what matters more is the reaction of koratch. Shooting down flying drones with the packages as your prize seems very intriguing.
ReplyDelete