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I actually watched the segment and I felt that Bezos was quick to emphasise that while the basic technology already exists, they are still working on issues such as drone control and reliability, as well as FAA regulations. He specifically gave an example of solving problems such as not landing them on someone's head. When asked for a timeframe, he said that it was a minimum of two years to get FAA approval, but more likely 5-10 years (IIRC). He also emphasised the short range of these machines, and it would only be available to those within a pretty close distance of a distribution centre - something like 10 miles. And also the limited weight of potential packages. I certainly got the impression that he's realistic about the possibilities and the timelines. They didn't go into the financials, which would be what I would question. I'm no Amazon or Bezos fangirl, but kudos to him for exploring new technologies.
btw, someone upthread commented on thieves following drones and stealing packages. Oddly enough, a few weeks ago there was a segment (possibly 60 minutes also - I didn't watch that one) on thieves following ups/fedex/usps/etc trucks and stealing parcels. So it already happens.
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