Amazon's drone delivery program is the joke it always sounded like. - eviltoast
Look, Up in the Sky! It’s a Can of Soup!
news.yahoo.com
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Exactly a decade ago, Amazon revealed a program that aimed to revolutionize shopping and shipping. Drones launched from a central hub would waft through the skies delivering just about everything anyone could need. They would be fast, innovative, ubiquitous — all the Amazon hallmarks. The buzzy announcement, made by Jeff Bezos on “60 Minutes” as part of a Cyber Monday promotional package, drew global attention. “I know this looks like science fiction. It’s not,” said Bez

Only one item can be delivered at a time. It can’t weigh more than 5 pounds. It can’t be too big. It can’t be something breakable, since the drone drops it from 12 feet. The drones can’t fly when it is too hot or too windy or too rainy.

You need to be home to put out the landing target and to make sure that a porch pirate doesn’t make off with your item or that it doesn’t roll into the street (which happened once to Lord and Silverman). But your car can’t be in the driveway. Letting the drone land in the backyard would avoid some of these problems, but not if there are trees.

Amazon has also warned customers that drone delivery is unavailable during periods of high demand for drone delivery.

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
        11·
        1 year ago

        I’m not really expecting someone who tells me what I think instead of asks me to be a friend.

        • QuaternionsRock@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          1 year ago

          Okay, fine, I’ll bite. Once.

          Delivery trucks require a human to drive.

          Ok… and? How is that a problem that needs solving?

          How is that not a problem that needs solving?

              • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
                1·
                1 year ago

                “Optimal” only matters to Amazon’s accountants. The trucks work fine. They keep thousands of people employed.

                I have no idea why so many people are trying to justify Amazon putting profits over people.

                • QuaternionsRock@lemmy.worldEnglish
                  1·
                  1 year ago

                  That’s where you’re wrong. The “optimal” method of delivery matters to every stakeholder in the current system. Yes, Amazon would make more money. Probably too much more. Delivery would also likely be cheaper for customers. And delivery trucks in cities would finally stop blocking the fucking road whenever they feel like it.

                  Finally, have you considered the possibility that delivery trucks are suboptimal for delivery drivers? It’s no secret that the lifestyle of a delivery driver is extremely unhealthy, and I can’t imagine it’s particularly mentally stimulating.

                  This is the same rhetoric I hear about AI, and it’s very disheartening. The fact that corporations are gearing up these tools to further exploit the population isn’t an argument against the tools, it’s an argument against the corporations.

                  • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
                    1·
                    1 year ago

                    Yes, as I said, you and others are justifying Amazon putting profit over people.

                    I have asked this multiple times: What exactly are those thousands of delivery drivers supposed to do when Amazon fires them all for not being “optimal?”