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Amazon's drone delivery program is the joke it always sounded like. (news.yahoo.com)

submitted 1 year ago by FlyingSquid@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

239 comments fedilink hide all child comments

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.

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[–] You999@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

We have flying cars, they are called airplanes or more specifically civil utility aircraft. You know, like the Cessna 172.

Flying vehicles aren't more mainstream because of the cost. A new plane can cost over half a million dollars while a used plane can easily be over a hundred thousand dollars. And that's just the cost of the plane.

The other reason is because the rules are more strict and are actually enforced. If a pilot flew their plane like the average person drives their car they would be sitting in jail await trail for attempt murder.

[–] merc@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

We have flying cars, they are called airplanes

I think you're missing the cars part of flying cars.

Like, the dream isn't to drive your car to the airport and get into an airplane. The "car" part of flying cars is about having one in your driveway.

A new plane can cost over half a million dollars while a used plane can easily be over a hundred thousand dollars

You can get a used Cessna for under $60k:

https://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?category_level1=Single+Engine+Piston&make=CESSNA&model=175&listing_id=2421983&s-type=aircraft

https://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?category_level1=Single+Engine+Piston&make=CESSNA&model=150L&listing_id=2420732&s-type=aircraft

https://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?category_level1=Single+Engine+Piston&make=CESSNA&model=150H&listing_id=2423454&s-type=aircraft

But, the issue isn't the up-front cost. Because a plane isn't a flying car, you have to store it somewhere, and that isn't cheap. Even just tying it down outdoors can be more than $150/month. Then there are the operating costs, which are much higher than cars: insurance, annual inspections, fuel, maintenance, etc.

[–] You999@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The Webster dictionary defines a car as a vehicle that moves on wheels which airplanes definitely are.

You can have your airplane in your driveway (or more commonly your grage). They are called fly-in communities and are more common than you think.

[–] merc@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 year ago

If you're having to resort to the dictionary definition, you know you're flailing.

The idea behind a flying car is that everyone could have one in their driveway (not the rare people who live in fly-in communities) and that they can use a combination of driving and flying to get places. That's what all the flying-car companies are working towards, that's what people dream of having. Having to live right next to an airport, or having to drive their car to the airport to get their plane isn't the "flying car" dream.