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A few days ago, in the context of first drone delivery by Google, I asked why don't we build infrastructure (pipes + automatic pods going through them) to deliv
by Udik 7y ago
A few days ago, in the context of first drone delivery by Google, I asked why don't we build infrastructure (pipes + automatic pods going through them) to deliver grocery-sized packages. Sounds like a literal pipe dream, but I'm not convinced the economics wouldn't work. Deliveries could take a matter of minutes and the network could be expanded at will, starting with a few neighborhood delivery spots. At a price of one or two dollars a package, for a million daily deliveries, it could make sense.
Any thoughts?
- chihuahua 7y agoSounds like Elon Musk's next company! He'll call it "The Small Boring Company"
- paulmd 7y agoIt's been done... operated 1897 to 1953, replaced by auto delivery. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumatic_tube_mail_in_New_York_City https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumatic_tube_mail_in_New_Yor...
- Udik 7y agoYes, I hear that every time I mention this. It is a lazy objection: the only things vaguely similar between the pneumatic tubes of the past and the ones I'm talking about are the pipes and the pods. Specifically, in those systems the pods were moved by compressed air: today they could just be electric and autonomous. They needed to be routed manually at intermediate stations, now they could just reach their destination automatically. Only five pods a minute could travel on those pipes, but electric drive means each pod can keep a minimum distance from the one before. There would be no need for engine rooms with air compressors spaced along the route. Etc. Basically, you can think of it as autonomous driving on a dedicated road any without obstacles.