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Flying drones for delivery are a long, long ways off. + Power/Range - drones can't fly very far + Load - they can't carry a lot + Landing - in urban areas - th

Flying drones for delivery are a long, long ways off. + Power/Range - drones can't fly very far + Load - they can't carry a lot + Landing - in urban areas - there are few places to land + Securing content - You can't just leave a box on the front lawn in many cases + Safety - flying a lot of drones result in failures, we can't have drones falling out of the sky. They also pose other hazards. So many issues with drones. I suggest that 'self driving delivery vehicles' will happen long before drones, and when they do, the added cost of 'drone' simply won't be worth it for most purchases.

david927 10y ago
+ Power/Range - you can use relays, + Load - they only need to take small individual items; many items means many drones, + Landing - an edge case, + Securing content - Leaving a box on the front porch is exactly what happens now in most cases; but in this case you would know exactly when it will be delivered and can schedule it for when you're home and be notified the instant it arrives on your doorstep which is much better, + Safety - drones falling from the sky are not the hazard that cars already are. I think you're right that 'self-driving delivery vehicles' might happen first, but I honestly think that drones will follow, and the cost of delivery from solar-power-recharged inexpensive drones is going to go to near zero. The question was, why is there investment in this when it delivery has failed in the past, and the answer, whether it's drones or self-driving vehicles is that once inexpensive delivery options are possible, in general, it will change everything.
- edblarney 10y ago
  " cost of delivery from solar-power-recharged inexpensive drones is going to go to near zero" Solar electricity is much more expensive than electricity from other sources, more importantly, 'fuel' a very minor issue in the 'total cost of delivery'. The 'cost' will be in so many other things, first off - having inventory within a 'drone flight' away from people. I actually don't believe that drones will ever fly stuff to our door. It will always be more expensive to delivery stuff 'by flying drone' - and 'very quickly'. See: prices for airmail vs. snail mail. So what do consumers really need that they can't drive to the store for? Toothpaste? Books? Toilet paper? No. That won't be cost effective. If someone 'really needs something now' - the 'cost effective' way to do it is to walk or drive down the street to the store. Delf-driving trucks, with 'robot arms' to nicely 'drop stuff off' for the rest.

david927 10y ago

+ Power/Range - you can use relays, + Load - they only need to take small individual items; many items means many drones, + Landing - an edge case, + Securing content - Leaving a box on the front porch is exactly what happens now in most cases; but in this case you would know exactly when it will be delivered and can schedule it for when you're home and be notified the instant it arrives on your doorstep which is much better, + Safety - drones falling from the sky are not the hazard that cars already are. I think you're right that 'self-driving delivery vehicles' might happen first, but I honestly think that drones will follow, and the cost of delivery from solar-power-recharged inexpensive drones is going to go to near zero. The question was, why is there investment in this when it delivery has failed in the past, and the answer, whether it's drones or self-driving vehicles is that once inexpensive delivery options are possible, in general, it will change everything.

edblarney 10y ago
" cost of delivery from solar-power-recharged inexpensive drones is going to go to near zero" Solar electricity is much more expensive than electricity from other sources, more importantly, 'fuel' a very minor issue in the 'total cost of delivery'. The 'cost' will be in so many other things, first off - having inventory within a 'drone flight' away from people. I actually don't believe that drones will ever fly stuff to our door. It will always be more expensive to delivery stuff 'by flying drone' - and 'very quickly'. See: prices for airmail vs. snail mail. So what do consumers really need that they can't drive to the store for? Toothpaste? Books? Toilet paper? No. That won't be cost effective. If someone 'really needs something now' - the 'cost effective' way to do it is to walk or drive down the street to the store. Delf-driving trucks, with 'robot arms' to nicely 'drop stuff off' for the rest.