I admire Amazon's vision but their drone program and now this, strike me as a clever PR stunt. It's given them miles of free publicity so far.
Many companies file for patents that never turn into product, and I suspect the patents are driven more on a "well you never know, one day...." or a "let's patent the concept before anyone else does" premise. They can also add company value as intellectual property regardless of whether they ever exist in reality or not.
Can the drones ever be really viable? The more thought I give it, the more ridiculous it seems.
o Technical failure and a drone lands on someone's head or into traffic
o Can they survive a hail storm or gale force winds?
o Collision with birds and pylons or airborne utility cables direct to property
o Liable to vandalism, yobs throwing stones or taking pot-shots at them for fun
o Someone is parking on a private driveway just as a drone comes in to land - will it know? What will it do?
o How to navigate a safe landing in a front yard with trees and ponds, or homes with scaffolding or other small protrusions
o Drone landings become is a huge advertisement for thieves - quick grab the box before the home owner does
o What if the postman or visitor is walking up to your door as a drone comes in?
o Noise pollution
o Could startle the hell out of anyone working at heights or up a ladder etc.
o No use at all for apartment blocks or homes with no grounds
o What if the family pet is having a snooze on the landing zone?
o Hackers will have a field day with this trying to interfere with their comms and sensors
Anyone?