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The normally mundane world of logistics just got a whole lot more interesting.
On Sunday’s edition of “60 Minutes,” Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced his company’s intention to have drones ship packages.
“I know this looks like science fiction — it’s not,” Bezos said on “60 Minutes.” “It will work, and it will happen. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Although many logistical details have not yet been released, Amazon hopes to use its drones to deliver packages to customers more quickly than through conventional shipping methods.
Through use of drones, Amazon aims to deliver packages that weigh less than five pounds to customers within 30 minutes of an order being placed.
“Putting Prime Air into commercial use will take some number of years as we advance the technology and wait for the necessary FAA rules and regulations,” Amazon told the Los Angeles Times.
Although the idea of nearly instant shipping may sound appealing to some, we have many questions about Amazon’s bold proposal.
Our major concern with Amazon Prime Air is whether it will be safe to fly drones carrying five-pound packages across cities.
What if a drone falls out of the sky and its package falls on someone’s head?
Five pounds may not be a lot, but the fact that a drone could drop something on anyone could be cause for worry.
Because this technology is so new and innovative, there’s no telling how it could disrupt the normal everyday lives of most Americans.
Most people will probably become distracted by flying objects containing little yellow packages. “Oohs” and “aahs” would become commonplace as people look up into the sky and watch tiny drones.
Then again, there are those who would be alarmed by a drone flying in the sky and immediately attempt to shoot them down.
So much for getting that package to a customer in 30 minutes.
Another concern of ours pertains to the loss of jobs that Amazon Prime Air would likely cause.
Amazon Prime Air could single-handedly change the way packages are shipped. It could affect employees not only at Amazon but also at UPS and FedEx.
With how technology has advanced in recent years, we’re not surprised that someone’s suggesting the use of drones to deliver packages.
But if drones are to be used, we hope Amazon will clearly lay out how the drones are going to be used effectively and safely.
It seems there are a lot of nuts and bolts to be ironed out before drones replace birds all across America.
