Amazon is one of the biggest companies in the world. And, although it may not be the biggest, it is the one that is growing the fastest among top companies. It has almost one million and a half employees, and over 380 billion in revenue, making Jeff Bezos, its founder, the richest human in the world. And they have been doing this, by being bold. And ambitious. Let’s know ‘Does Amazon Use Drones?’
Drones, on the other hand, are quite old and also bold in their capabilities. Although drones as we know them today, are not old, in 1850 some drones were made with balloons. Anyway, can these two separate endeavors collide? Can Amazon apply drone technology to their already complex delivery systems?
Amazon and Drones
As of today, no, they haven’t. They have tried hard, though. There is this thing called: Amazon Prime Air. And it is a program within the Amazon company, that aims to deliver, via drones, in 30 minutes or less, your packages. To qualify for this, the package must weigh less than five pounds, must fit the drone, and must be close to the Amazon warehouse.
This was started back in 2016, however, as of today, nothing has materialized.
Amazon Prime Air UK
The first big push for this new delivery system was made in the United Kingdom. They got the necessary permits, they obviously had the money, but still, they failed. Or at least as of today, they have failed. Alright, it didn’t completely fail, there were some positive tests made in Cambridge. They even posted them on YouTube, and these videos acquired millions of viewers. But still, the project never really lift off.
Delivery Drones
Using drones to deliver goods is not a new idea. And it has had success already. With drones, they have delivered vaccines in this pandemic, medicines, food in poor countries, and more.
Drones started as a military technology. And they are widely used in such military operations. Now, pilots don’t have to risk their lives, if a drone is destroyed, it is money that is lost, not a human life. Hence this technology has been very resourceful in past years.
Now, however, they want to give drones also a more civilian approach. Like the one Amazon is trying to give them.
Drones used incorrectly
Like all things human, there are good ways and bad ways to use this technology. We have discussed some good ways to use drones, now, let’s look at some bad ways.
Drug dealers are now using drones to transport drugs or to deliver goods in prisons. Which is unfortunate. Prisons don’t know what is going on.
Hey, you could just look at what the Nazis did too. They used drones to bomb England during World War II, killing many innocent lives.
So, you don’t have to look too far away to see that this technology is dangerous too. With the arms race that is going on now, one wonders where this could stop.
Other companies doing this
Now, several other organizations are doing this. It is not just Amazon. Here are a few that are using drone technologies for delivery purposes.
Drone delivery Canada, Zipline, Wing, UPS, Swoop aero.
All these companies are doing things differently, but their main purpose is the same, drone technology.
They are even trying to make commercial flights with no pilots. Although this sounds bold, the idea has been put forward, and some tests have been made.
Drones for you
As you probably already know, you could have a drone. Prices can vary from 100 dollars to super expensive. Depends on what you want, and what you can buy. And you could use it, mainly, for photography reasons. Or, just to have fun. It is like flying a kite, kind of.
Agricultural drones
Every day, we need more food, and we are not producing it. Hence, the need for food is always there. Drones have helped in this matter as well. For example, in Africa, drones have helped create sustainable farms. Is a way of optimizing time and resources. Although there was a boom in agricultural drones, there are many questions still regarding their use. It is not considered an all-around safe thing, still.
Conclusion
Amazon does not use drones. They really want to, they have tried and invested a lot of money. However, as with all new technologies, there are still some things that need figuring out. Because, although it can be a good thing, a lot of safety precautions need to be made. In the end, it is a flying object carrying a package around a city. Children are playing in the street. People are walking, any accident could be catastrophic.
And, of course, Amazon has a lot of competition. They are not alone in this race to make drones part of our daily lives.
FAQ
Do I need a permit to fly my drone?
For commercial purposes yes. For recreational, no.
Can you fly a drone inside a house?
Being very careful, yes.
What do I do if a drone crashes on my property?
Call your local law enforcement, they will help you and file a report.
