Google is testing delivery-by-drone too, say hello to Project Wing

[Dietrichw]

Source

 

 

 

Amazon is selling a phone and reportedly even getting into the online ad business, so of course Google is ready to compete with its still-in-testing Prime Air drone delivery service. The Atlantic has a report on (and a short video of) what is being called "Project Wing," a part of the Google X labs that have worked on Project Loon, Glass, driverless cars and so much more. As shown above, the idea is for a tail sitter unmanned aircraft (shown above, described as a hybrid between a plane and a helicopter that takes off and lands vertically), where the drone flies in like a plane, then hovers and lowers a package to the ground by wire before releasing it. The "egg" at the end of the wire hits the ground and drops the package before being pulled back up into the drone. So can you expect to receive a Google Shopping Express order this way anytime soon? Probably not right away, as the test shown took place in Australia, and there's plenty of testing and regulatory hurdles to get over before anyone is dropping off packages this way.

 

 

[L.E.D]

YEAH! Another free drone to shoot down lol

[hiyayhi]

I still think this is a load of rubbish. Anyone who thinks that delivery by dron is a good idea is slightly stupid. The amount of people who will go out shooting drones down for a lucky dip prize would be unbelievable. but I do think it is a good ploy to make the delivery companies think about making their delivery systems more affordable and more efficient

[Guest]

[Dietrichw]

I still think this is a load of rubbish. Anyone who thinks that delivery by dron is a good idea is slightly stupid. The amount of people who will go out shooting drones down for a lucky dip prize would be unbelievable. but I do think it is a good ploy to make the delivery companies think about making their delivery systems more affordable and more efficient

well once there are laws put in place that won't be an issue. it could count it as armed robbery as if somebody robbed a UPS or Fedex van using a firearms or etc. That drone is property of Google or Amazon and you are forcibly robbing it or destroying it. We will see for sure once the laws are made more clear

[ivhyn]

-snip-

Christmas is coming early

[CatCloud]

At least the cops will have plenty of people to arrest if google/Amazon gives them a package radar to track the drones.

[hiyayhi]

well once there are laws put in place that won't be an issue. it could count it as armed robbery as if somebody robbed a UPS or Fedex van using a firearms or etc. That drone is property of Google or Amazon and you are forcibly robbing it or destroying it. We will see for sure once the laws are made more clear

Sure, but how do they plan on catching someone if they never see them?

[Dietrichw]

Sure, but how do they plan on catching someone if they never see them?

the drones are covered with sensors and cameras, Drones will also be limited to populated areas near storage/shipment centers. Try firing at drones in a city without people reporting gun shots.

[Deletive]

It would be cool, but i don't feel it being practical in the city.

[hiyayhi]

the drones are covered with sensors and cameras, Drones will also be limited to populated areas near storage/shipment centers. Try firing at drones in a city without people reporting gun shots.

It will still be a while lot easier to steal from a drone than it would be to steal from a ups truck.

Also a camera isn't going to do much good when you are sitting 400m from it with a balaclava on.

I am not suggesting that it will necercarily be as easy as walking into a store and buying something but I am trying to say that it is too easy and not a reliable way to do things.

[TechNerd65]

Here we go FAA get on this. http://techcrunch.com/2014/08/28/google-challenges-amazon-for-drone-supremacy/

[TheSLSAMG]

Again, has been posted.

 

I will be happy if I don't have to deal with Google's BS.

[RelentlessAF]

I can't wait for simple package delivery. This is awesome and with competition more companies will get on board and soon USPS and UPS will start their own drone services as well!

[Opcode]

I want my Newegg orders to be delivered this way.

 

Seriously tho, if drones are free to fly between the ground and plane altitudes. Imagine there being millions of drones ready to ship an order as soon as you buy it.

[Murdoch]

I still think this is a load of rubbish. Anyone who thinks that delivery by dron is a good idea is slightly stupid. The amount of people who will go out shooting drones down for a lucky dip prize would be unbelievable.

 

I hear this argument all the time. I'd like to drop the penny for you, most of those people are joking.

[JAKEBAB]

Im surprised Australia allowed this but i guess with Tony Abbott in charge we all know how much he loves drones lol

[mr moose]

Im surprised Australia allowed this but i guess with Tony Abbott in charge we all know how much he loves drones lol

why wouldn't he allow a company to come and spend what could be millions in Australia testing a product that might turn out to be only a pipe dream?

[JAKEBAB]

why wouldn't he allow a company to come and spend what could be millions in Australia testing a product that might turn out to be only a pipe dream?

Because that would mean he understood the NBN lol

[martinrox1568]

It will still be a while lot easier to steal from a drone than it would be to steal from a ups truck.

Also a camera isn't going to do much good when you are sitting 400m from it with a balaclava on.

I am not suggesting that it will necercarily be as easy as walking into a store and buying something but I am trying to say that it is too easy and not a reliable way to do things.

Yes because anyone can just pick up a sniper rifle and hit a moving object from 400m away while accounting for a 10mph crosswind. Seriously people these days learn too much about guns from video games. And if you rob best buy with a mask on no one will know who you are either.

[TheRagingGamer]

I still think this is a load of rubbish. Anyone who thinks that delivery by dron is a good idea is slightly stupid. The amount of people who will go out shooting drones down for a lucky dip prize would be unbelievable. but I do think it is a good ploy to make the delivery companies think about making their delivery systems more affordable and more efficient

what if the drone is powered by a nuclear reactor, you will think twice before shooting it down 

[hiyayhi]

I hear this argument all the time. I'd like to drop the penny for you, most of those people are joking.

 

Yes because anyone can just pick up a sniper rifle and hit a moving object from 400m away while accounting for a 10mph crosswind. Seriously people these days learn too much about guns from video games. And if you rob best buy with a mask on no one will know who you are either.

I get what you are saying. I just think that there will need to be some kind of ingenious way of protecting these drones. Probably, if the drones ever get put into service, they probably will think of some awesome way to protect the packages, but as it stands it seems like it would be too easy for the drones to be taken down.