Amazon have applied for a patent to deliver goods with a “Bring It To Me” feature, by tracking your whereabouts using your smartphone.
The patent sets out ways that a drone could be configured to track you down, where ever you are, and part of this could be using data from the GPS in your smartphone so that not only would Amazon no longer need your address, but if you moved location during the day the delivery would still find you where ever you were.
Other technology discussed in the patent includes drones communicating with each other, monitoring the flight path for people and animals and the use of sensors, radar, camera and infrared sensors to ensure safe landings. Amazon say that landings could be achieved autonomously or, where autonomous landings can’t be achieved, with cameras and data both from the drone and/or the recipients smartphone.
Drones are of course still a long way off becoming a reality for deliveries, not least of which in the UK due to the restrictions which require the operator to have line of sight to the drone and it currently being illegal to fly them near other people or property that you don’t own.
Similar problems exist in the States, but the law and regulatory authorities have a history of not being ready with new legislation as innovation happens. Just think back to the age of the first motor car where The Locomotive Act of 1865 which required a man with a red flag to walk in front of road vehicles hauling multiple wagons and imposed a maximum speed limit of just 4mph. Some day soon legislation will be introduced which could result in an Amazon drone chasing you to the park where you have your lunch time coffee.
One Response
What happens if you switch your phone off? Will it find you?
Or leave your phone in the car? Will it unlock the boot so its there for when you return? Or simply leave it on the roof so it can be stolen! And what about signatures on delivery? And kids with air-rifles? Cmon….
Also there are Civil Aviation Authority issues which currently dictate that no “drone or other radio controlled aircraft” can be flown within 100 meters of other people. Fine if delivering to an address in the sticks but my guess is most buyers are in towns and citys.
Utterely stupid idea.
Amazon are just trying to get column inches with this crap and they know it will never work in reality.
Isn’t it time we all stopped giving this dumb ass idea time/forum/chat space, etc?
Long live The Revolution!! 🙂