Looking to take advantage of online sales, millions of people will be ordering online goods on this “Cyber Moday.” While those goods will likely arrive in a week or so, delivered by USPS, UPS or FedEx ground crew, delivery methods may soon enter into new air space, compliments of the ubiquitous drone.
Last night, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos dropped a bombshell on the Sunday night TV news show “60 Minutes” when he said that his company was developing so-called “copter” drones to deliver online goods, with a tentative launch date potentially arriving in the next four to five years.
Though further safety testing and FAA approval is needed, the “octocopter” drones — dubbed Amazon “Prime Air” — are slated to deliver packages of around five pounds. Bezos told “60 Minutes” correspondent Charlie Rose this weight comprises almost 86 percent of Amazon’s deliveries and that using the electronic drones could cut down on carbon emissions.
As Amazon continues to build their distribution centers across the the United States, Bezos also hinted that the drones could potentially make same-day delivery a reality. He even upped the ante, envisioning packages arriving 30 minutes after buyers click the “buy” button....
(Excerpt) Read more at news.discovery.com ...
