Amazon Wants To Use Lampposts, Churches As Drone “Perches”

Megalith

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Is this brilliant, or totally crazy and impractical? Amazon basically wants to turn urban structures into drone ports, where they can, among other things, refuel and transfer packages. These “landing pads” would also double as cell towers that could provide internet.

The latest patent describes docking stations which could be installed on cell towers, church steeples, office building, electric poles, and generally tall structures. It would allow a drone to land, avoid bad weather, recharge or refuel and drop off and pick up packages. Amazon outlines the idea of a "central control system" which could communicate with each docking station. The system would calculate the most direct route for a drone to follow, and be able to redirect it along a path with the most favorable conditions, for example, with the least wind. The ability to recharge is also very useful as the drones are unlikely to be able to travel very large distances.
 
I would imagine that out of all the options listed, cell towers are where these 'perches' would end up. It would be hard to work with the government on upkeep for the lampposts, and churches have to be careful about taking in money due to their non-profit/tax-exempt status.
 
How do they plan on getting around the recent drone regulations? I thought the new rules pretty much nipped these things in the bud
 
How do they plan on getting around the recent drone regulations? I thought the new rules pretty much nipped these things in the bud
Ehh line the re-election campaign pockets of any politicians with money and you can hand them a bill redacted by your own marketing department and they'll introduce it verbatim. Line some more pockets from the opposition and you will get it passed.

This corrupt bullshit is how things work in our system and the only way we're going to actually "nip it in the bud" is by introducing harsh penalties for those who engage in it. But wouldn't you know the ones that have to pass those penalties are the same politicians taking these bribes and kickbacks. Love your 'MURIKKKAN democracy
 
I would imagine that out of all the options listed, cell towers are where these 'perches' would end up. It would be hard to work with the government on upkeep for the lampposts, and churches have to be careful about taking in money due to their non-profit/tax-exempt status.

LOL, you're kidding right?
 
Why is this a patent? I hope they don't use this broadly. There's been drone auto-charge stations for a few years, I talked with a few of them at the UAV expo. I'd hate to see those get taken to court and anyone else who tries to do something similar. The only thing special about this is that it's on a lamp-post.

Seriously. It seems like with a competent legal staff you can patent anything, even if it's not new. I bet you someone could probably patent the wheel at this point with the right legalese.
 
I think the whole drone shipping idea is taking it too far. 10 years from now our once clear skies could be cluttered and noised up with these things. It's great to have same day shipping, but not at this cost. 1-2 days for everything is perfectly fine.
 
The whole idea of using drones for delivery is total batshit crazy, IMO.
Yeah, the logistics involved to prevent soggy packages from arriving is a bit much for now. Let's actually get some working weather prediction then look at it again. I pretty much mean just look at it.

I can't say I like the prospect of these things clouding the sky if I'm gliding.
 
I don't like the idea of the sky filled with delivery drones because before you know it they will have advertisements on them and hover at stop lights and busy intersections.
I would be all in for delivery ornithopter's though, there synthetic natural appearance would be less creepy. :cautious:
 
Why not?

If Amazon will help build out the wireless infrastructure, they can use it for portable toilets as far as I'm concerned.

Of course the Cell companies will find 100 reasons why this should be outlawed. It's the american way.
 
I would imagine that out of all the options listed, cell towers are where these 'perches' would end up. It would be hard to work with the government on upkeep for the lampposts, and churches have to be careful about taking in money due to their non-profit/tax-exempt status.
Not really. Churches can rent out space for whatever reason they choose. It doesn't affect their non-profit status unless they are doing something in competition with a private enterprise and use than non-profit status to put themselves at a competitive advantage to private business. And many rent their property or steeples to cell phone companies for antenna towers. But the key is "rent". And the next question is "Can a drone have a conversion experience and find Jesus?"
 
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I think utility poles will be the most common. They already are privately owned, and have power right there for the device to recharge. The utility company will of course have a tiny meter to charge for any electricity used in the recharging of the drones. win win for utility company and amazon. And it has nothing to do with anyone else.

I bet you someone could probably patent the wheel at this point with the right legalese.
Now you've done it. Soon we'll have to put weird treds powered by gears on our cars, all because some jerk patented the wheel.

Yeah, the logistics involved to prevent soggy packages from arriving is a bit much for now.
It'll be pretty simple to plastic coat the packages and/or the stuff inside. Machines do the packaging now.
 
We all don't need our shit this fast. I get shivers of a bleak dystopian future with all this mega corp drone shit.
And how is the little guy supposed to compete?
We don't need our coffee delivered by this shit. We don't need the novel we ordered delivered by this shit.
People have JOBS delivering.
Ultimately I think it is an impractical pile of stupidness that wouldn't be financially viable and outright dangerous.
They will succeed if they were never intended to be practical or make money, but serve another more nefarious purpose.

Between Facebook, Google and Amazon w/drones what privacy will exist?
 
Wouldn't they now have jobs driving the drones? Or is it different? Honestly, don't know if they have an alternative method for that.
Initially they wouldn't I would guess. Probably for publicity reasons. But they are pushing autonomous cars. I don't think we are far off, or not far off at all, where we can imagine a completely A.I controlled delivery fleet.
In fact human error would probably be one of the draw backs they would cite. LOL.
 
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