There’s a big buzz surrounding technology companies using
drones for delivery related services. Some companies even claim to have started
implementing and testing these services. Whatever is the case, most of the time
this idea is looked upon as merely a fantasy not ready to be fulfilled soon
enough. Let us have a look at what the real prospects of using drones as
delivery services are.
Prime Air:
Recently, we came across an ad of Amazon’s Prime Air
featuring Jeremy Clarkson. In that ad, a girl has a soccer match later that
morning. She does not have the left stud as it is being nibbled by her dog. Her
dad, instead of getting annoyed or irritated, acts rationally and orders online
for a pair of soccer shoes. The order is sent to the Amazon warehouse from
where the package is set up in the drone. The drone take offs like a helicopter
and flies to its destination. It is an intelligent drone and knows how to avoid
any obstacles if they come. When it is near its destination, a message is sent
informing the family that the package is near. Within thirty minutes, the pair
of shoes is delivered to the house and everybody is glad. The content of the ad
was pretty amazing and promising. However, what remains to be seen is that how
soon this is coming into action. The ad categorically mentioned that the video
of the drone flying was not stimulated, but actual. So, we do know that the
drones of Amazon are up and able to fully function. Even the Federal Aviation
Authority (FAA) gave Amazon the permission to begin testing its drone.
Project Wing:
Another big technological giant working on drone
delivery is Google X. Google X is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. Google X is a
half secret research and development facility which works on pretty interesting
projects. The self driving car is one of the projects of Google X. The project
responsible for using drones for delivery is Project Wing. It is similar to
Amazon Prime Air except that Google’s drone does not land. It hovers above its
destination location, winches down the package and takes off once the package
has been put at the desired location. This project was announced at the end of
August, 2014. By then, they had already been working on it for two years.
However, those working on it admit themselves that it is not going to be
functional anywhere in near future.
Medical
applications:
Dronlife:
Some
students in Spain are inventing a drone which will help move organs from one
location to another without disrupting traffic. Can you simply believe it? This idea was initially submitted as an entry
for a contest. In the same year in the UAE, the ‘Drones for Good’ competition
was held and $1 million was offered for a design that would lead to better life
improvement. One of the successful finalists was Dronlife which is an unmanned
aerial vehicle to be used in transporting organs and laboratory materials. It
was designed by 4 young women who were students at Spain’s School of Industrial
Design.
Dronlife did not win
the competition but attracted investors which include David Carro Meana, the
president of a business school in Spain who with some of his colleagues
launched a company to market the product. Another partner, Ricardo Blanco is
helping in the improvement of the technology. It is currently in the final
phase of development and has attracted financing from a private company in
India and is scheduled to start flight tests in India.
Zipline
Inc: Recently, it was also announced that the government
of Rwanda is in agreement with a US based company to build infrastructure for
drones which would be used in delivering medical supplies across the country.
The agreement will see Zipline Inc. building three drone ports in the country.
Disaster Relief:
In addition to improving medical conditions, drones
can also play an active and an ever important role in disaster relief. Whether
it is an earthquake or a flood, drones can be used to transport food and
medical supplies to the affected areas. Drones are lighter than the aircrafts
and helicopters and thus would be able to move quickly from and to affected
areas. They will be able to assess the situation also.
Not only during natural disasters but drones can
also come in handy in man-made disasters such as wars. Judging from the current
political scenario of this world, it is quite clear wars are going to continue
and thus the need of drones for humanitarian relief efforts would become
unavoidable.
Hindrances:
Regulations:
The
major problem that might hinder the use of drone for deliveries is regulation.
The FAA has yet to come up with a complete handbook on laws and regulations
pertaining to drones and delivery services.
Weight:
The
second issue is weight. It is evident that drones would not be able to carry
large amounts of packages. Amazon’s Prime Air weighs about 55 lbs while
Google’s drone is a mere 19 lbs. So, they would be carrying weights less than
their weight. We have yet to see how they would fly if they have to carry
weights larger than their size. And if they cannot come up with a solution,
then there is no point in simply being able to deliver shoe boxes only. If this
service is to run, it should be able to transport every type of package.
Obstacles:
Drones are not allowed to fly above 400m. So, in a
city with tall skyscrapers or in forests with tall trees, drones would not be
able to function efficiently.
In conclusion, using drones for delivery services is
a pretty good idea. The vision to have drones delivering everything within 30
minutes and using air space like trucks use roads is a pretty exciting idea.
However, a lot needs to be done to bring it into practice. Various factors need
to be taken into account and hindrances solved one by one. This cannot be
possible until and unless all stakeholders work together.
www.UAVLance.com, the one stop shop for all your UAV needs.
LOOKING FOR A DRONE
PILOT?
Simply create a job and watch as the top pilots in the
country bid for your work. And payments are held in escrow, so pilots get paid
on time, and you don't release payment until you're 100% satisfied!
There is no job too big or complex. There are pilots on
UAVLance qualified for EVERY aerial need.
NEED TO RENT A DRONE
FOR BUSINESS OR FOR FUN?
At UAVLance.com, Drone Rental companies across the country
compete for your business. Find the lowest rate on that perfect drone you've
always wanted to fly. Want to earn extra money? Setup an account and rent your
drone today! It's that simple.
INTERESTED IN DRONE
RACING?
UAVLance is the first website to enable organizers to setup
and manage races, create stunning web pages, invite racers and sponsors to
register, and automate payouts. Competitions for all skill levels.
No comments:
Post a Comment