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The idea of a world where beehive-esque drone noise is ubiquitous is terrifying to me. That sounds like a truly awful future. It's going to be real shitty to b

The idea of a world where beehive-esque drone noise is ubiquitous is terrifying to me. That sounds like a truly awful future. It's going to be real shitty to be outside once there are hundreds of drones flying around all over the damn place. Road noise is bad enough.

anoncoward111 8y ago
Yeah I do agree. Road noise is really bad and leafblowers are even worse. If there are hundreds of leafblowers buzzing around outside my house, I'm going to be really really angry because I signed a social contract that basically says I can't do anything crazy, but suddenly big corps can?
- rightbyte 8y ago
  A sudden strike from the wind and they will cut your throat or cut out your eyes. Imagine the paranoia walking on the street.
  - screye 8y ago
    I get where you are coming from, but this is an non-factor. Drones can be built to be very safe with jet-engine like enclosures. Also, Their power will mostly likely be nowhere enough to cause significant damage to a human. A heavy object falling on a head and causing real damage.... now that's a more likely event. __________ If drones are sufficiently regulated : 1. Can't fly over private property, regions with many kids. 2. Prefer to be flown above roads 3. Drone owner liable for damages Then I can see them being a great replacement humans in food delivery. I don't think they will be louder than a car or a motor-bike any way.
    - vkou 8y ago
      > 1. Can't fly over private property, regions with many kids. Most private property has much lower persons/square meter then public property. If a drone falling out of the sky is a factor, I'd much rather see it happen into a back yard, or onto a rooftop, as opposed to a city street.
      - ghaff 8y ago
        If drones raining down on public property is an issue I would certainly hope that shifting that and other costs to private property is not considered remotely acceptable.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
mkolodny 8y ago
I'd imagine that whether these drones make it to market or not depends on whether Uber/Amazon can create drones that fly quietly. That said, road noise is already a thing. I'm not a big fan of road noise either, but cars are helpful enough that we keep them around. Maybe it'll turn out that the same is true for drones.
crooked-v 8y ago
That's what noise regulations are for.
sh87 8y ago
This is a horrible idea. I can imagine some compelling reasons for using drones as an automated delivery mechanism, but this - food delivery, isn't one of them. On the contrary, I think they are particularly bad for food delivery. However, I do harbor a sense of amazement at how competition drives businesses. For Uber to invest in this seemingly stupid idea and openly declare such goals hints at how clearly they realize the importance of keeping on moving over stagnating. Uber being uber has no soft corner in my mind, but I do like seeing things move forward.
meowface 8y ago
It could go poorly, but delivery drones are inevitable at this point. We just need to focus on innovating ways to reduce noise, and flying them at altitudes where most people won't hear them, as well as flying paths that avoid private property and optimize for the least populated areas. Food delivered via drone sounds amazing to me. Maybe not to other people, but I'd like to see this done well and without creating too many externalities.
- leetcrew 8y ago
  > flying them at altitudes where most people won't hear them if they're going to do this, they're going to need some serious insulation to keep the food warm.
corysama 8y ago
If it's as obnoxious as you imagine, everyone will bitch and it will get banned. Look at all of the noise over powered scooters being inconveniently placed. That was a much more minor annoyance and whole cities couldn't stop talking about it.
logicallee 8y ago
Is there anything keeping a drone from being silent? (Obviously they're quite loud today.)

anoncoward111 8y ago

Yeah I do agree. Road noise is really bad and leafblowers are even worse. If there are hundreds of leafblowers buzzing around outside my house, I'm going to be really really angry because I signed a social contract that basically says I can't do anything crazy, but suddenly big corps can?

rightbyte 8y ago
A sudden strike from the wind and they will cut your throat or cut out your eyes. Imagine the paranoia walking on the street.
- screye 8y ago
  I get where you are coming from, but this is an non-factor. Drones can be built to be very safe with jet-engine like enclosures. Also, Their power will mostly likely be nowhere enough to cause significant damage to a human. A heavy object falling on a head and causing real damage.... now that's a more likely event. __________ If drones are sufficiently regulated : 1. Can't fly over private property, regions with many kids. 2. Prefer to be flown above roads 3. Drone owner liable for damages Then I can see them being a great replacement humans in food delivery. I don't think they will be louder than a car or a motor-bike any way.
  - vkou 8y ago
    > 1. Can't fly over private property, regions with many kids. Most private property has much lower persons/square meter then public property. If a drone falling out of the sky is a factor, I'd much rather see it happen into a back yard, or onto a rooftop, as opposed to a city street.
    - ghaff 8y ago
      If drones raining down on public property is an issue I would certainly hope that shifting that and other costs to private property is not considered remotely acceptable.
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]

mkolodny 8y ago

I'd imagine that whether these drones make it to market or not depends on whether Uber/Amazon can create drones that fly quietly. That said, road noise is already a thing. I'm not a big fan of road noise either, but cars are helpful enough that we keep them around. Maybe it'll turn out that the same is true for drones.

crooked-v 8y ago

That's what noise regulations are for.

sh87 8y ago

This is a horrible idea. I can imagine some compelling reasons for using drones as an automated delivery mechanism, but this - food delivery, isn't one of them. On the contrary, I think they are particularly bad for food delivery. However, I do harbor a sense of amazement at how competition drives businesses. For Uber to invest in this seemingly stupid idea and openly declare such goals hints at how clearly they realize the importance of keeping on moving over stagnating. Uber being uber has no soft corner in my mind, but I do like seeing things move forward.

meowface 8y ago

It could go poorly, but delivery drones are inevitable at this point. We just need to focus on innovating ways to reduce noise, and flying them at altitudes where most people won't hear them, as well as flying paths that avoid private property and optimize for the least populated areas. Food delivered via drone sounds amazing to me. Maybe not to other people, but I'd like to see this done well and without creating too many externalities.

leetcrew 8y ago
> flying them at altitudes where most people won't hear them if they're going to do this, they're going to need some serious insulation to keep the food warm.

corysama 8y ago

If it's as obnoxious as you imagine, everyone will bitch and it will get banned. Look at all of the noise over powered scooters being inconveniently placed. That was a much more minor annoyance and whole cities couldn't stop talking about it.

logicallee 8y ago

Is there anything keeping a drone from being silent? (Obviously they're quite loud today.)