I had a few things delivered yesterday from Asda - at least as long as there is online shopping/delivery the delivery drivers jobs are safe - in fact I can see how these jobs will increase more.
@John Brunner OK I just had to google this ! When I wrote my post the thought of 'mechanical' deliveries did flit through my mind - but I thought Nah and disregarded it. Drones did 'not' occur to me ! I can't say I fancy the idea either. I certainly wouldn't be ordering glassware from Amazon - or anywhere else for that matter. What height is a 'safe' height to 'drop' a parcel from ?
Indeed and it is welcomed in this household. The gas station we frequent has a full-time attendant who will pump gas, clean your windshield and/or check your oil if you wish. When I was in HS, I had a job as the evening manager, pump jockey, gopher and grease monkey at a Mobil gas station on Rt. 66. Thus, came an appreciation for the job. One of the benefits of that job was draining the pump hoses into my motorcycle after closing the station.
Amazon has been talking about it for years; but I didn't know they were getting it to actually work. There would seem to be severe limits to what and where they could deliver safely with a drone. Porch pirates could have a field day. I have and fly a state-of-the-art, AI driven, autonomous drone that's pretty good, but not perfect, at going where you want and not running into things in the process. Thus, the technology is there to get things remarkably close to a set of GPS coordinates but Murphy and the laws of physics are alive and well to an extent that shit can happen. There could be a whole new game for the "crash and grab" crowd.
Amazon has officially begun making shipment deliveries with drones to customers in both Lockeford, California and College Station, Texas, the company confirmed to Nexstar’s KTXL on Friday [Dec 24, 2022.] Link Interesting, huh?
@John Brunner - I was thinking about this last night and had a mental picture of drones flying about all over the place dropping parcels here, there and everywhere - followed by people out knocking on neighbors doors to hand over parcels dropped in wrong gardens ! - or people coming home from work to find a soaking wet parcel in their garden. Considering how high winds can knock over a lorry - and even cause problems for planes trying to land - I'd love to see one of these drones in action on a 'windy day' ! - although, I would also hope that 'common sense' would prevail and they wouldn't be used in adverse weather conditions. If one of the aims behind using drones is to 'save money' - I wonder if amazon have taken into account the possible cost of 'claims for damaged / lost parcels' - or even possible damage to customers property.
Interesting scenarios. Imagine a week-long rainy period. I wonder if such conditions are why Amazon chose those two pilot (no pun intended) cities.
Dunno. I almost posted another YouTube video that showed numerous delivery bots going up and down an alley way. One pedestrian got so perturbed about the bots blocking his pathway that he was caught on camera kicking the bots.
People will gleefully support more laws and be more likely to call 911 to protect The Carrier of Their Goods than they would "get involved" to protect another human being. Dispatch: "911. What is your emergency?" Concerned Citizen: "Someone is attacking a delivery bot!!!!" Dispatch: "I recognize that voice. Aren't you the woman who just stood by when that girl was being raped?" Concerned Citizen: "This is different."