Drone delivery mailbox could bag $1m prize

No primary category set

An idea called Skynet (!?!) is developing a drone delivery mailbox that has made the semi-finals of the $1m Drones for Good competition.

As Amazon and others moot the possibilities of future delivery by drone, some of the practicalities present problems. Step forward the entrepreneurs: introducing Clinton Burchat.

He’s conceptualised a special delivery receiving system so that even those without backyards and gardens can enjoy the future convenience of a delivery drone.

He explains it it all in the video below. What do you reckon?

7 Responses

  1. Not just skynet, that delivery was going to “Connor, S.”

    combine this with Cyberdyne, a Japanese company building robotic exoskeletons for pensioners.

    do people think the Terminator Series is some kind of advert for robots and Artificial Intelligence? embrace your future overlords!

  2. Interesting. However in the video the package is shown sticking up out of the Net. Surely one of the problems with couriers leaving parcels on such as Doorsteps is that neighbours, passers by etc can see them and perhaps nick them. Also as the video appears to be set in California or Arizona they probably have not taken into account the weather. Imagine coming home to find your Skynet delivered package is now sodden as it has been raining all day(not unusual in the UK).

    My suggestion would be for a larger ‘Mailbox’ type receiver with a waterproof opening door. The drone arrives and identifies that it is the right place and it sends a message to the ‘Mailbox’ to open its door. The drone then delivers the package and once safely inside the much larger mailbox the sensors close the door again.

    Why should the mailbox be much larger? Well the ‘Skynet’ appeared big enough for one delivery. Where does the second or third delivery to the same address go? I take it that if the drone finds the ‘Skynet’ already full it cannot go next door and ask if they will look after the package until the customer gets home?

  3. Any system that requires customers to install special hardware to receive deliveries will have very few users. It is likely that these units would be limited to one drone delivery company.

    If this ever takes off it would only be used by businesses which have a need for regular drone deliveries.

    A major limitation of this system is that it only allows drones to deliver and not collect. This would limit the usefulness substantially (if collection was available it could be useful for low size high urgency use such as transporting blood samples from doctors’ surgeries to the lab).

RELATED POSTS..

Amazon 2023 Stats and Performance

Amazon 2023 Stats and Performance

Amazon funded Quantity Discounts by Amazon

Amazon funded Quantity Discounts by Amazon

Pile ou Face success in lost package lucky dips

Pile ou Face success in lost package lucky dips

Sophie Slade Hunswick, Content Director from Amazon consulting agency Sitruna

Mastering the Amazon: Navigating the Currents of E-comm Logistics

Amazon Business in Europe

New Amazon Business ‘Prefer Small and Medium Enterprises’ feature

ChannelX Guide...

Featured in this article from the ChannelX Guide – companies that can help you grow and manage your business.

Latest

Take a look through a selection of the latest articles on ChannelX

Register for Newsletter

Receive 5 newsletters per week

Gain access to all research

Be notified of upcoming events and webinars