Amazon to start testing drone delivieries

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Innocent drone hovering over neighbor's yard

Not the yard of the neighbor that shot at it, though; but rather a friend's, getting a good view of how the construction was going for that friend.
Even if it were, the proper response would've been to grab video of the intrusion and take legal action. Shooting off a shotgun in a residential area?
Not. Wise.
Note that they took the shotgun away.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Not the yard of the neighbor that shot at it, though; but rather a friend's, getting a good view of how the construction was going for that friend.
Even if it were, the proper response would've been to grab video of the intrusion and take legal action. Shooting off a shotgun in a residential area?
Not. Wise.
Note that they took the shotgun away.

For punishment, jail time is definitely warranted.

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

For punishment, jail time is definitely warranted.

It was dumb, and shows this guy is too impulsive to be trusted with a gun. But how many people our age have never, not even once, done something just as dangerous and obnoxious? Put all us imperfect humans in jail, and there won't be anyone left to guard us, or to visit us in prison.

Destroy the gun, fine him $100, and he is quite unlikely to do it again.

P.S. Plus I'm uncomfortable with the prospect of spending large amounts of taxpayer funds to protect Jeff Bezos's supposedly forthcoming, and sure to be annoying, system for delivering toys to the impatient rich.

[tubemonkey]

Incoming hawk at 1 o'clock

[tubemonkey]

[Prestidigitweeze]

What I'm waiting for is a drone Kindle that hovers behind me as I saunter down side streets glancing sidelong at passing side-eyed flounders -- ready to open to suggestive passages when I recite particular sequences of letters and symbols.

[crane3]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Nonsense. There is no way that you can go from "seeking permission to test something" to commercial operation in a few months, especially given the fact that it would require a change in the law in order to be legal.

Given the shouts by various countries about "violations of air space", I would expect the over supply of lawyers will enter into the fray with lawsuits about violations of one's home's air space. In fact, if a country can tell others to keep out, the homeowner should be able to do the same.

And there should be liabilities about knocking off branches in the lawsuits; & most major, cutting phone, cable & power lines.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by crane3

Given the shouts by various countries about "violations of air space", I would expect the over supply of lawyers will enter into the fray with lawsuits about violations of one's home's air space.

You have no legal rights to the airspace over your home. This is a well-established legal principle which stems from numerous court cases involving people trying to get planes from local airports banned from overflying their houses.

There can of course be separate issues with noise pollution, invasion of privacy, etc.

Anyone who has ever flown - or been near - the type of commercial multi-rotor UAV that would be required for this postulated service will know that they are not exactly inconspicuous. They are noisy. Very, VERY noisy.

[doubleshuffle]

I wonder what would happen if one - completely accidentally - pointed one's garden hose skyward when such a drone was flying over one's garden.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by doubleshuffle

I wonder what would happen if one - completely accidentally - pointed one's garden hose skyward when such a drone was flying over one's garden.

I wouldn't try it if I were you

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by doubleshuffle

I wonder what would happen if one - completely accidentally - pointed one's garden hose skyward when such a drone was flying over one's garden.

Not too much, I suspect. I've accidentally flown my Phantom through a fountain (it's difficult to judge distances when using an FPV monitor) and it just flew through it and got wet .

[fjtorres]

Looks like Amazon is looking to bypass the FAA during the drone testing phase by outsourcing the work to the UK. Cambridge, specifically:
http://www.zdnet.com/amazon-prime-ai...tag=TRE17cfd61

In particular, Amazon is asking for Flight Operations Engineers, who will be responsible for testing drone technologies. The candidate must have at least five years of lead flight test experience, a degree in aeronautical engineering or a related field, and preferably experience in aircraft certification and aviation safety.

Amazon states:

"We're working on the future. If you are seeking an environment where you can drive innovation… If you want to apply state-of-the-art technologies to solve extreme-scale real world problems… If you want the satisfaction of providing visible benefit to end-users in an iterative fast paced environment… This is your opportunity."

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Looks like Amazon is looking to bypass the FAA during the drone testing phase by outsourcing the work to the UK. Cambridge, specifically:
http://www.zdnet.com/amazon-prime-ai...tag=TRE17cfd61

Makes sense. Commercial use of UAV's is permitted in the UK, unlike the US. Far fewer legal hassles to contend with.

[tubemonkey]

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Makes sense. Commercial use of UAV's is permitted in the UK, unlike the US. Far fewer legal hassles to contend with.

Thanks.
I suspected that might be it but it's good to know it for a fact.