Science/Tech
Amazon shows their new prototype delivery drone
For two years, Amazon teased us with their delivery drone. Now, they let us have a closer look on the prototype.
In a video posted on Youtube on November 29, 2015, Amazon showed how the drone can deliver small packages in just 30 minutes. The new video shows the prototype accepting a package into its fuselage before delivery.
The drone shown in the video can take off vertically like a helicopter and then switch to a more airplane-like flight. It can avoid potential obstacles in the air and on the ground for a range of 15 miles, Amazon said.
"In time there will be a whole family of Amazon drones, different designs for different environments," says Jeremy Clarkson, the ex-Top Gear host who moderates the video.
Small, unmanned commercial drones would avoid the delays of standard postal service by flying through the air to deliver a package directly to a customer's home.
In December 2013, Amazon announced it was testing a drone delivery service. Dubbed as Amazon Prime Air, the idea is to deliver shoebox-size packages to customers with unmanned aerial vehicles about the size of a remote-controlled airplane, faster than other delivery services. However, the service can't take off until FAA figures out how it will regulate unmanned aircraft when they're used for commercial purposes.
FAA enforces its ban on unlicensed commercial drone operations but the agency is working on rules to permit drones without business having to secure specific permission. It's released draft regulations but missed the September deadline to finalize those rules.
The creation of drones for commercial purposes has been trying to be developed for the past few years. The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International claims the first three years of integration of drones in the US skies will create more than 70,000 jobs and create an economic impact of $13.6 billion.
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