Have you tested the drone delivery app yet?

[DroningOn]

Not handy.

.....At least one independent study analysis has already provided that just in the small initial trail area $9m in savings in transport costs could be realised in a 12 month period.

Have you found it?

 

[WithTheBirds]

You order Uber from an app, you get alerts and you can track the driver. Still...

Yes. I’m not sure that fact might be determinative in illustrating the feasibility or otherwise if delivery by drone.

 

[WithTheBirds]

Have you found it?

I’m not looking for it. I could easily retrieve it from my browser history if in front of my computer.

 

[DroningOn]

I’m not looking for it

Well, thanks for that. We’ll just take your word for it I guess.

 

[Meta4]

For real?
Have you tested the drone delivery app yet?ing Drone Delivery - Quick and Environmentally Friendly Drone Deliveries

Into four pages of discussion and all that's being discussed is hypothetical drone delivery.
No-one is addressing the thing pointed to by the OP.
It seems preposterous.
The website has an FAQ that doesn't address any of the questions any intelligent drone user would ask.
They mention three FAA rules that would have an impact on their proposal but leave it at that without any explanation of how they think they can deal with beyond VLOS operations, flying over people or airspace issues.
There's no mention of how delivery would work in any of a dozen common situations that would appear to be impossible.
No mention of range/weight/weather issues that would be critically important.
Looking at their website makes me check my calendar.
Is it April 1st already?

 

[DroningOn]

Into four pages of discussion and all that's being discussed is hypothetical drone delivery.
No-one is addressing the thing pointed to by the OP.
It seems preposterous.
The website has an FAQ that doesn't address any of the questions any intelligent drone user would ask.
They mention three FAA rules that would have an impact on their proposal but leave it at that without any explanation of how they think they can deal with beyond VLOS operations, flying over people or airspace issues.
There's no mention of how delivery would work in any of a dozen common situations that would appear to be impossible.
No mention of range/weight/weather issues that would be critically important.
Looking at their website makes me check my calendar.
Is it April 1st already?

You’re just not a “visionary”

 

[JDawg]

Did someone say rain?

 

[Meta4]

You’re just not a “visionary”

Here's my vision of the Zing proposal
How does Zing work?
When a user orders food from a restaurant, a local drone pilot within range is notified. Once the food has been prepared, the drone pilot will place the drone down and use the app to start the delivery.
You are just sitting around with a fully charged battery waiting (and waiting) for the bat alarm to go off

The drone will fly to and descend at the restaurant autonomously using Zing’s proprietary system.
You set your drone on your launch area, complete with it's 325 gram cargo cage and trust Zing to fly it to a restaurant somewhere.

You trust them to navigate through any obstacles in your neighbourhood (trees, wires, winds etc) to a restaurant and find a safe spot to land there.
How many restaurants have a safe landing spot in an obstacle-free area, where there's no risk from people, cars, dogs etc?

The drone pilot then makes the final descent and picks up the food manually using the Zing app.
What happened to descend at the restaurant autonomously using Zing’s proprietary system?
You trust the restaurant guy to put something of unknown weight in the cage and secure it properly without injuring himself or the drone.

Once the drone pilot is ready, they will tap a button to continue the autonomous flight to the user’s location.
You trust Zing to fly your overweight drone and wind-catching cargo-cage from a restaurant to another unknown location, safely navigating whatever obstacles may be along the way.

They will drop off the food manually in the same way they picked it up from the restaurant.
And now the customer will avoid spinning props, remove their precious takeaway food and secure the cage.

The drone then flies home and lands autonomously where the pilot will put in a new battery to prepare for the next delivery.
And you trust Zing to somehow get your drone back to where it started and you wait again with a new battery.

Three launches, three landings, flying with an unknown weight in a large wind-catcher, autonomously through unknown obstacles, trusting persons unknown to load and unload your cargo cage and somehow observing all regulations.
No mention of range/battery issues - I'm sure Zing would be taking care of that for you.
What could possibly go wrong?

Any regulation issues are covered by Zing's simple one line statement:
Please follow all FAA laws and regulations while using Zing products within the United States.
So you are only doing daylight deliveries where you are able to see the restaurant and the hungry customer from your launch point.

All this for an unspecified (but probably very small ?) payment, when/if any hungry Zing customers living near you place an order with a participating restaurant that's also nearby.

 

[Meta4]

I love their wording for the cargo cage ad (reduced from $199.99 to just $$99.99)
The Larger Zing Delivery Box combined with the DJI Mavic Pro drone makes drone deliveries a breeze.
More like .. With the Zing Delivery Box attached, a breeze makes your cherished Mavic a distant memory.

 

[RayOZ]

Here's my vision of the Zing proposal
How does Zing work?
When a user orders food from a restaurant, a local drone pilot within range is notified. Once the food has been prepared, the drone pilot will place the drone down and use the app to start the delivery.
You are just sitting around with a fully charged battery waiting (and waiting) for the bat alarm to go off

The drone will fly to and descend at the restaurant autonomously using Zing’s proprietary system.
You set your drone on your launch area, complete with it's 325 gram cargo cage and trust Zing to fly it to a restaurant somewhere.

You trust them to navigate through any obstacles in your neighbourhood (trees, wires, winds etc) to a restaurant and find a safe spot to land there.
How many restaurants have a safe landing spot in an obstacle-free area, where there's no risk from people, cars, dogs etc?

The drone pilot then makes the final descent and picks up the food manually using the Zing app.
What happened to descend at the restaurant autonomously using Zing’s proprietary system?
You trust the restaurant guy to put something of unknown weight in the cage and secure it properly without injuring himself or the drone.

Once the drone pilot is ready, they will tap a button to continue the autonomous flight to the user’s location.
You trust Zing to fly your overweight drone and wind-catching cargo-cage from a restaurant to another unknown location, safely navigating whatever obstacles may be along the way.

They will drop off the food manually in the same way they picked it up from the restaurant.
And now the customer will avoid spinning props, remove their precious takeaway food and secure the cage.

The drone then flies home and lands autonomously where the pilot will put in a new battery to prepare for the next delivery.
And you trust Zing to somehow get your drone back to where it started and you wait again with a new battery.

Three launches, three landings, flying with an unknown weight in a large wind-catcher, autonomously through unknown obstacles, trusting persons unknown to load and unload your cargo cage and somehow observing all regulations.
No mention of range/battery issues - I'm sure Zing would be taking care of that for you.
What could possibly go wrong?

Any regulation issues are covered by Zing's simple one line statement:
Please follow all FAA laws and regulations while using Zing products within the United States.
So you are only doing daylight deliveries where you are able to see the restaurant and the hungry customer from your launch point.

All this for an unspecified (but probably very small ?) payment.

I don't think Zing expects you to think too much into the details. They are hoping there'd be enough people going "Shut up and take my money". Collect any sucker seed investor's money then disappear.

 

[DroningOn]

I don't think Zing expects you to think too much into the details. They are hoping there'd be enough people going "Shut up and take my money". Collect any sucker seed investor's money then disappear.

^^This!!

 

[offtheback]

Glad to hear that something is getting off the ground lol

Biggest drawback I could see for Zing would be the weather. Wind and rain could ruin your day if you own a DJI drone. Maybe they are weatherproofing their DJI drones before deployment.

Rob-Sounds like more repair business.Start hiring!

 

[offtheback]

I wonder if you will be able to order a drone delivered by a drone? That would be sweet.

Maybe we'll be able to order a drone repair guy by drone to make house calls.Might be time to upgrade your wardrobe.

 

[CactusJackSlade]

Commercially viable “drone delivery” is a complete farce. Anyone who has flown one knows this is true. There is no way this works practically or financially. Entities who are promoting this nonsense are just looking for free advertising (Amazon) or trying to raise money under false pretenses.

AGREED!

So what if there are 60,000 107 certified pilots.... how many of them even have a 'copter capable of lifting a reasonable payload?

This is not UBER.... these are operating in 3D space "autonomously?" gee, what could go wrong? Maybe in a few years with dedicated and proven 'copters.

 

[WithTheBirds]

I don't think Zing expects you to think too much into the details. They are hoping there'd be enough people going "Shut up and take my money". Collect any sucker seed investor's money then disappear.

Zing would need to hope you can’t read.

 

[WithTheBirds]

Into four pages of discussion and all that's being discussed is hypothetical drone delivery.
No-one is addressing the thing pointed to by the OP.
It seems preposterous.
The website has an FAQ that doesn't address any of the questions any intelligent drone user would ask.
They mention three FAA rules that would have an impact on their proposal but leave it at that without any explanation of how they think they can deal with beyond VLOS operations, flying over people or airspace issues.
There's no mention of how delivery would work in any of a dozen common situations that would appear to be impossible.
No mention of range/weight/weather issues that would be critically important.
Looking at their website makes me check my calendar.
Is it April 1st already?

Clearly this proposal is spectacularly ridiculous as a commmercial prospect- what is your take on the delivery trial being conducted by Wing in the ACT? It would seem it has potential.

 

[Meta4]

what is your take on the delivery trial being conducted by Wing in the ACT? It would seem it has potential.

I'm surprised that CASA have gone along with it over a suburban area. Trial of drone delivery systems
Google must be quite persuasive.
It will obviously give them lots to work with on how drone delivery might be implemented.
I can't imagine that low value takeaway food or convenience items would make for a viable delivery business.
But I wouldn't have thought Uber Eats (or bottled water) would be either.

Here's the first time drone delivery was offered:
Australian Startups Zookal And Flirtey To Begin Delivering Textbook Orders By Drone
Nothing was delivered and it was just a publicity stunt that spawned many imitators but the video is interesting to watch.
It sucked everyone in and succeeded in gaining lots of publicity.
About 6 weeks later Amazon somehow got CBS and 60 Minutes to create a 14-minute free ad spot for Amazon on the eve of Cyber Monday:
Amazon Promised Drone Delivery In Five Years... Five Years Ago

Back then it was drone delivery for publicity.
The ACT trial shows they have come further toward actually delivering something but still have hurdles to overcome.
To my way of thinking, what to deliver is one of them.

 

[RayOZ]

Yeah. It's a trial, and paid for by Google. Imagine the actual operational cost of delivering a $4 flat white 10km away. Not cost effective or profitable. The fact that they got some traction in the trial is because neither the customer nor business have to pay the cost of delivery. But what do I know? I didn't think Uber Eats and the like would be profitable. I guess if business are willing to forgot 30% profit, and customers don't mind sticky fingers of the delivery drivers...

 

[WithTheBirds]

Yeah. It's a trial, and paid for by Google. Imagine the actual operational cost of delivering a $4 flat white 10km away. Not cost effective or profitable. The fact that they got some traction in the trial is because neither the customer nor business have to pay the cost of delivery. But what do I know? I didn't think Uber Eats and the like would be profitable. I guess if business are willing to forgot 30% profit, and customers don't mind sticky fingers of the delivery drivers...

And that’s where I am- if the model for Uber works to get McDonald’s delivered with a dollar still in it for all parties- while ever the punters are ordering the drone solution should be a go. It must cost less to fly something 5km than have a driver take it. The novelty and convenience will most likely see a lot of people happy to pay a premium.

 

[deleted member 877]

I can see this working in the future when the Delivery drones would be controlled by clever Swarm based technology so that all of the airborne drones would be aware of the locations of all of the other drones in the swarm. And then, of course, all of the swarms would need to be aware of all of the other swarms - otherwise, the risk of mid-air collision would be too high if this concept really takes off.

No one would be manually operating the Delivery drones - it would have to be fully automated with a "manual override" function available when things really go tits up