Walmart, UPS, and even Dominos are all planning on using ariel drone delivery and according to a Bloomberg investigation, Amazon alone has made a $2 billion investment. But is it realistic to envision a future where our valuable and often fragile packages and meals will be delivered by drones? What about challenges like air traffic management, drone battery life, hacking issues, unpredictable weather, noise pollution, limited payload capacity and obstacle avoidance?

Drone delivery startups claim that these concerns are all being addressed and that additionally, their technology promises convenience and efficiency… making delivery faster, and also environmentally friendly… Really, no Really!

Even though the thought of a fleet of drones buzzing over our heads seems quixotic, we increasingly live in a world where consumers are demanding delivery in an hour, a minute, right now!

To explore the reality of drone delivery - the technology, regulatory and safety issues, we invited Dr. Roger Connor to offer his considerable expertise and help clear the air regarding drones.

Dr. Connor curates The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum’s vertical flight collection (helicopters, gyroplanes, and vertical takeoff and landing aircraft), remotely piloted and autonomous aircraft systems, among many other things that fly up and down.

 

In this episode:

• Residential delivery drones and the Domino’s 30-minute or less guarantee.
• Criminals, smugglers, and prison inmates are early adapters.
• The safety and insurance issues of delivering packages to dense urban areas.
• Paparazzi drones’ ability to fly above your house while taking pictures of the family.
• Current state, FAA, and government regulations concerning airspace restrictions.
• Delivery drones as “job killers” or maybe they provide other unique advantages.
• A UPS or Fed Ex drone crashes into me or my house…what happens next?
• The Drone Racing League and jobs of the future!

 

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