BS: Amazon Prime Air drones

Subject: BS: Amazon Prime Air drones
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 Dec 13 - 12:44 PM

In the news today is a report that Amazon, the world's largest online retailer, plans to have its "Amazon Prime Air" in operation within five years.
The pilotless drone aircraft would deliver goods to a point within 16km (10 miles) of its distribution centers. Same day deliveries would be possible.
CEO Jeff Bezos made the announcement on the program "60 Minutes."

Canada allowed commercial drones in 2008, but a special flight operation certificate for each flight with Transport Canada.

In the U. S., the Drones Act takes effect in 2015, allowing commercial jets and drones to share the same air space.

China has used drones in a very limited way to deliver goods.

CBC News (online with artist sketch) Dec. 2, 2013. "Amazon PrimeAir drome deliveries..."

Domino's Pizza said one of its UK franchises was experimenting with drones for pizza delivery.

Whoop de Do, stuff ordered on Black Friday could be delivered before Cyber Monday!

Subject: RE: BS: Amazon Prime Air drones
From: Greg F.
Date: 02 Dec 13 - 01:42 PM

Hey, if ya can't own slaves, drones is da next best thing.

Subject: RE: BS: Amazon Prime Air drones
From: gnu
Date: 02 Dec 13 - 02:43 PM

I use the automated checkouts at the grocery store when the lines are long because my arthritis just won't let me stand still for very long BUT drones for pizzas to save having to hire real people? The Terminators will starve us... if they don't kill (all) of us first.

Agggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!

Subject: RE: BS: Amazon Prime Air drones
From: Amos
Date: 02 Dec 13 - 04:30 PM

The report is vastly overblown. The FAA is not going to let un-manned flying pods clutter urban airspace until they develop a much better reliability record, and even then it will be problematic.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Amazon Prime Air drones
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 02 Dec 13 - 06:04 PM

The way things are going Amazon is likely to be calling the shots when it comes to disputes with government agencies.

It seems to me that there's no real choice but to do everything we can to cut Amazon down to size. In the last week or so the penny has dropped so far as I am concerned, in face of a couple of powerful exposés on the BBC and in the press. It's not just the fact that Amazon avoids paying pretty well any tax in the UK (gets more in grants than it pays in tax in fact). I tend to put the main blame on the government for allowing them to get away with it when big companies do that kind of thing. But the clincher is evidence that the people working for them get rotten working conditions and minimum pay.

The temptation is to shrug, and turn away from thinking too much about that because it's such a convenient reliable and cheap service. But there's limit to that, and I've reached it. There are alternatives, and I'll be using them instead, and I hope a lot more people are going to do the same in the run-up to Christmas.

Subject: RE: BS: Amazon Prime Air drones
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 02 Dec 13 - 06:04 PM

The way things are going Amazon is likely to be calling the shots when it comes to disputes with government agencies.

It seems to me that there's no real choice but to do everything we can to cut Amazon down to size. In the last week or so the penny has dropped so far as I am concerned, in face of a couple of powerful exposés on the BBC and in the press. It's not just the fact that Amazon avoids paying pretty well any tax in the UK (gets more in grants than it pays in tax in fact). I tend to put the main blame on the government for allowing them to get away with it when big companies do that kind of thing. But the clincher is evidence that the people working for them get rotten working conditions and minimum pay.

The temptation is to shrug, and turn away from thinking too much about that because it's such a convenient reliable and cheap service. But there's limit to that, and I've reached it. There are alternatives, and I'll be using them instead, and I hope a lot more people are going to do the same in the run-up to Christmas.

Subject: RE: BS: Amazon Prime Air drones
From: Bobert
Date: 02 Dec 13 - 07:23 PM

I'm lovin' it...

No more Christmas shopping... All you need is a .22 with a scope and you have Christmas...

Pot luck, but hey???

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Amazon Prime Air drones
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 Dec 13 - 07:44 PM

Amazon wage scales, United States:

Warehouse Associate- $11.99/hour
Warehouse worker- $11.53
Picker- $11.37
Customer Service representative- $11.38
Maintenance technician- $20.28
Human Resources Asst.- $16.54
Software Development Engineer- $38.70
Figures from www.payscale.com.

Few data on employees receiving yearly salaries, but they are offering $105,000 for a software development engineer and $65,000 for quality assurance engineers. Openings for Kindle engineers and software engineers are competitive at $65,000-$125,000.

No idea about pay scales in foreign countries. If those jurisdictions are not collecting proper taxes, that is their problem.

Amazon does a damn good job of furnishing goods to the consumer at a reasonable price, and offers quick delivery (free if purchase over a certain amount).

They keep a good hold on the many associated sellers, and it is safe to order from them through Amazon.

Amazon is successful because they provide the buyer a good deal.

Subject: RE: BS: Amazon Prime Air drones
From: Bobert
Date: 02 Dec 13 - 07:57 PM

At many Amazon distribution centers, retirees show up every year in their RVs to work work and hjang out with other retirees who have beeen coming back every year for years... Sounds cool to me...

Now back to out regularly scheduled program...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Amazon Prime Air drones
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 02 Dec 13 - 08:27 PM

The "Drone" claim is, in my opinionl, a pure publicity stunt.

Amazon drones announcement delivers publicity buzz .

CNBC Agrees.

Within recent memory, we have attempted a half dozen Amazon orders.

I EVERY CASE the item ordered was shown on their site as "in stock, ready for delivery."

In EVERY CASE it was approximately a week before we received a "shipping confirmation" claiming that the order would be "shipped immmediately."

In EVERY CASE we received a subsequent notice, two weeks to a month later, saying "We're sorry we don't have that item. Would you like to order ... (something else, usually dissimilar and unrelated to the item we wanted).

We have NOT within memory, ordered AND RECEIVED anything from Amazon.

Their helicopter shows a substantual similarity to one reported as being involved in an accident in New York a couple of months ago, when the "recreational pilot" lost his focus (probably while texting?) and decapitated himself with the "drone**."

** = toy model airplane.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Amazon Prime Air drones
From: Don Firth
Date: 02 Dec 13 - 08:29 PM

Considering that I live in a security building (you have to either have a key to get in, or buzz somebody in the building to let you in), I'm not sure how drone delivery is going to work.

As it is now, if I order something on Amazon, it arrives a couple of days later by United Parcel Service. The UPS man buzzes my apartment. I pick up the intercom to see who's at the door, then press a button to release the lock and let him in. He then delivers the package to my apartment door, we chat for a few minutes, and he's on his way to his next delivery.

I'm not sure how a drone is going to hover outside and press the necessary button, open the door (it doesn't swing open automatically) then find my apartment and knock on the door.

Hmm. . . .

I have my doubts.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Amazon Prime Air drones
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 02 Dec 13 - 08:40 PM

They provide a good deal for customers. If that's the only thing that matters... And I suppose for an awful lot of people, it is the only thing that matters.

Here's an article that helped me decide I couldn't keep on pretending it was.

Subject: RE: BS: Amazon Prime Air drones
From: Gurney
Date: 02 Dec 13 - 10:51 PM

Just what I need. An iPod through my lounge window at 500mph.

Subject: RE: BS: Amazon Prime Air drones
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Dec 13 - 12:00 AM

My son was an intern at Amazon in Seattle last summer, where he worked on a delivery system for items in the warehouse. Now it makes sense! (Dream on!)

He has accepted a job with Amazon after he graduates (as a computer science major at a tier one university) - if he's part of this I'll ask him to drop any Mudcat members a note if his drones deliver parcels to your homes.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Amazon Prime Air drones
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 03 Dec 13 - 12:06 AM

Delivery by artillery would likely be even more practical and efficient than a drone, and a lot quicker.

"Bang - Thud" and it's there!

Of course, very accurate weather reports would be required to accomodate wind drift for istances in excess of a half mile (1 km) or so.

The projectile wouldn't necessaryily need to be explosive, but would need to be sufficiently rugged to protect the contents.

Based on this need alone, it would present the same difficulties in "opening the package" as typical HP inkject cartridges, with 3/4 cubic inch of cartridge arriving in a 0.9 cubic foot (16,000 cu in.) armored plastic wrapper that requires compound lever tin snips, rotary saw, "Sawzall" with demolition blade, and/or a "jaws of life" applicance to extract the end product. (I've used my table saw on several of them - carbide blades of course.)

John

Subject: RE: BS: Amazon Prime Air drones
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Dec 13 - 12:46 PM

The drone delivery will be to delivery centers, not to the home, as was pointed out in the original post. From the centers, packages will proceed by post or truck to individual addresses, keeping delivery down to a day or two.

McGrath, if wages are low and taxes not paid, pressure your government to update their regulations. Sounds like a general British problem.
As pointed out earlier, Amazon pays decently in the U. S.; what happens in foreign countries is their problem.

I never have had a problem with Amazon deliveries, always prompt (Books, CDs and music, hobby and varied items). Some out-of-stock future delivery items, of course, may never become available to them.

Subject: RE: BS: Amazon Prime Air drones
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 03 Dec 13 - 05:42 PM

Of course the government has the main blame for letting Amazon rip us off and exploit its workers. But that's the kind of government it is.

But collusion by customers is the main factor. The government doesn't twist their arm to do that, it just lets them get away with it.

Subject: RE: BS: Amazon Prime Air drones
From: mg
Date: 03 Dec 13 - 06:40 PM

they could test it by delivering goods to emergency zones, like the Philippines for example...could save a lot of lives.

Subject: RE: BS: Amazon Prime Air drones
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Dec 13 - 06:38 PM

Uh oh!

Subject: RE: BS: Amazon Prime Air drones
From: Pete Jennings
Date: 07 Dec 13 - 07:13 AM

Why do they need drones anyway? I ordered a printer ink cartridge yesterday afternoon at about 5.30pm and it arrived this morning at 10.20am.

Say what you like about Amazon, but that is what I call a great service.

Subject: RE: BS: Amazon Prime Air drones
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 07 Dec 13 - 12:53 PM

Their free delivery of books I order (over $25) is much appreciated. I usually order about a dozen, then order again when I have read that batch.

I have used their French (.fr) website for some EU books not available from .ca or .com, same codes and messages.

Subject: RE: BS: Amazon Prime Air drones
From: GUEST,LynnH
Date: 07 Dec 13 - 01:04 PM

The german post DHL is about to start a test operation in Bonn using delivery drones............

Subject: RE: BS: Amazon Prime Air drones
From: gnu
Date: 07 Dec 13 - 01:10 PM

Well, Walmart ain't takin this lyin down!