Tag Archives: drones

What dozens of delivery drones in the suburbs sound like

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Residents in Richardson, Texas describe the sounds of delivery drones overhead:

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But in the Richardson neighborhoods near the Amazon distribution center, any joy about the innovation has been muted by the sound of dozens of drones, if not more than a hundred of them, flying by every day, sometimes so loud that they sound like flying lawn mowers. (Other companies, including Walmart, are also using delivery drones, but different types, in the area.)…

“We hear them zoom, zoom, zoom, back and forth from morning until past dinnertime,” said Nikki Anderson, whose extended family spotted the drone — and many more — one Friday earlier this month. She has long prized the serenity of her backyard, with its undulating pool and birds chirping from landscaping that included a shrub sculpted into the shape of a giant heart…

Kristi Graham, an administrator for a music education company, was one resident who complained to Amazon, upset about drones flying over her backyard, where her family swims and barbecues.

After her complaint, she said Amazon did change the route — to the front of her house…

When a protest was held in front of the Amazon distribution center in June, Ms. Puri took part. People waved signs like “Too low, too loud, too many.” And she said many Amazon delivery drivers, whose jobs may be at risk, honked their horns in support.

Suburbanites like tranquility in their yards, if they can get it. There is often some level of noise they put up with, including lawn care, local traffic given all the driving in the suburbs, and recreational noise (kids playing, all those pickleball players?).

These delivery drones represent a new source of noise. For residents who expect their yards to be retreats from the world or nature preserves, drones are an intrusion. An outside company is introducing a noise they do not want and the residents do not think the suburb’s regulations do enough.

What if this was the trade-off for suburban residents: would you accept delivery drones if it means fewer delivery trucks on the road? Suburbanites may not like noise but they also do not like traffic. If drones demonstrably reduce road traffic, would this make the drones and their noise palatable?

An ongoing question: will higher gas prices in the US lead to less driving?

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If gas prices do indeed keep going up, how might this affect all the driving that takes place in the United States? An ongoing public discussion or debate involves the price point that would push more Americans to not drive. At some point, the assumption is that people would drive less because they cannot afford it.

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I would counter that many Americans cannot afford to not drive. How would people get to work or school? Gas might get expensive but there are few travel alternatives in many American communities.

Perhaps we have some newer solutions to these questions:

-Remote work and school. It may not be ideal and a global pandemic pushed the country into this in the past but having really expensive gas would be a major problem for many people.

–Deliveries via truck make a lot of the economy work. But what if more goods could be delivered via drone? Or electric vehicles?

-Fleets of electric cars ferrying people around. I don’t know if we have a critical mass of these vehicles but since many vehicles sit parked much of the day, could they be used continuously to get people around?

Put another way, what would Americans give up in their lives if gas becomes more expensive? Driving for fun might be first to go but what comes next?

More drone deliveries coming to suburban neighborhoods

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Amazon is expanding delivery via drone to more metropolitan markets in the United States:

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Amazon said Wednesday it plans to offer drone deliveries in nearly 500 U.S. cities and towns by the end of the year, a sign of momentum for a project that’s been slow to develop since founder Jeff Bezos first laid out his vision for the service almost 13 years ago…

Carbon projected at the time that Prime Air will make 1 million deliveries this year, and said Amazon has the “highest demand drone delivery service in the industry.” The company said Wednesday it made hundreds of thousands of deliveries so far this year, and makes thousands daily…

Amazon in 2024 received a critical greenlight from regulators to conduct long-range drone deliveries, and over the past year has expanded beyond initial markets near Dallas and Phoenix to 11 metro areas, with six other locations coming online soon. Residents in some of those markets continue to raise concerns about drone noise and privacy and how those issues could hurt property values.

And there are other drone delivery competitors in this space:

It’s a nascent space, but one where Amazon faces competition. Alphabet’s Wing crossed 1 million commercial drone deliveries earlier this year, and it operates in 20 U.S. markets through partners like Walmart and DoorDash. Drone delivery startup Zipline operates on four continents and has made 2 million deliveries so far.

Suburbanites tend to like private, quiet spaces. The ideal of the separate single-family home in nature is still alive and well.

Would drone deliveries interrupt this? I imagine drone deliveries will tend to be to the front door of an address – this is the more public facing side – but suburbanites might still see and hear drones overhead. The stillness of the backyard might now include the sound of a drone making a delivery to the front door. Looking up at suburban trees and skies might now include seeing a tethered delivery taking place nearby.

Americans have accepted all the trucks and traffic that go with the modern online economy and all its online ordering. If they can order something and have it within a day or two, adding to the roads is an acceptable tradeoff. Will they feel the same way about drones? Or perhaps the drones could be sold as limiting the need for trucks and street deliveries; roadways will be clearer for Americans to drive on because delivery congestion is now overhead.

Perhaps some HOAs could try to ban drone deliveries to individual address and instead have a delivery pad or station for a neighborhood. Perhaps those with more space and/or resources could create a delivery space for drones at their preferred location so they can keep the drones out of sight.

Will Americans get used to delivery drones just like they got used to hordes of delivery trucks?

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Florida residents recently responded to Walmart starting delivery via drone:

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Reactions to the drones added at the Walmart Supercenter in Apopka have been mixed, with some residents like Brittany Nilsen saying she’d “absolutely” use the service for the sake of “convenience.”…

Some likened the noise to a police siren or fire truck but said they’d become accustomed to it.

In addition to the noise, other locals said they were worried about privacy and safety…

After arrival, the drone hovers about 20 feet above the drop zone and lowers the order down via the tether, with the drone itself never landing on a Walmart customer’s yard.

Imagine the air at roughly building height or tree top level with a steady stream of drones delivering packages from different suppliers. There would be noise. They would be part of the view when looking into the sky or looking into the distance.

But I was reminded this week of the ways that we now just accept delivery trucks all over the place. The trucks stop in roadways with their flashers on while the driver goes to the door to complete the delivery. They stop on narrow roads and busy roads. They add to traffic.

The benefit of both is that people get their desired objects without having to go to a store. The delivery comes directly to them. This modern convenience is expected and people will sacrifice for it to happen. Americans like driving and they are willing to put up with traffic and stopped vehicles to get their packages. Whatever downsides come with drones could be outweighed by packages coming via the sky.

The suburbs as the perfect places for drone deliveries

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Where might drones make deliveries? One project in Texas suggests the suburbs make a lot of sense for such deliveries:

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Flytrex, which specializes in on-demand, ultrafast delivery for food and retail, is bringing food and grocery orders via drone to front and backyards.

According to a release, the service will be based in Granbury, in a partnership with restaurant chain Brinker International, home of Chili’s Grill & Bar, Maggiano’s Little Italy, and two virtual brands: It’s Just Wings and Maggiano’s Italian Classics.

The service is operating in cooperation with longtime partner Causey Aviation Unmanned under a newly granted Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) waiver allowing a delivery radius of one nautical mile – reaching thousands of potential homes. Eligible households can order food via the Flytrex app.

Their focus is on the suburbs, where on-demand delivery has previously been viewed as commercially unviable, since traditional couriers can make only two deliveries per hour in such areas. They have a video showing a drone at work on YouTube.

Granbury is a small town of just over 11,000 residents roughly 30 miles southwest of Fort Worth and on the edge of the Dallas metropolitan area.

More broadly, it is interesting to note that the population densities of Granbury and the suburbs are what might make delivery by drone viable. Americans tend to like suburbs and driving. But, this is not as good for delivering food or other items. The same kind of space Americans like for their suburban homes does not work well with quick deliveries.

How many deliveries can drones make in an hour compared to vehicles? Are there also advantages to suburban deliveries from not having to encounter many tall buildings or obstacles?

If drones are better for suburban deliveries, are suburbanites open to drones flying above their homes to bring them things they have ordered? Suburbanites also like a connection to nature and drones may not provide that if they are flying or they can be heard above homes. The same drones that enable a consumer lifestyle do not necessarily fit with an image of quiet suburban properties.

The suburbs as the test market for delivering prescription medicine via drone

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As firms test delivery via drone, one suburb in North Caroline will soon experience how using drones to deliver prescription medicine could work:

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Zipline, a leading drone operator, will begin delivering prescription medicines to patients’ homes in a suburb of Charlotte, North Carolina, this year, helping usher in the long-anticipated era of routine drone drops.

Why it matters: Battery-operated drones could satisfy our demand for “instant delivery” in less than 15 minutes, while easing traffic congestion, improving safety and helping the environment…

The trial, which awaits the FAA’s nod, will take place in and around Kannapolis, North Carolina, where Zipline has a distribution center serving nearby hospitals…

A big milestone will occur in a few months when Wing begins drone deliveries in Dallas, its first major metropolitan service area, starting with Walgreens.

Even as this article makes clear that this is already happening in other places, the suburban potential is intriguing for several reasons:

  1. If drones can deliver a lot of goods in suburbia, could this help unlock the hold of driving on suburbia or does it enable people to live even further apart?
  2. How do drones fit in a suburban landscape devoted to private property and proximity to nature? Drones could theoretically be quieter and less obvious than other options yet this could be considered intrusive in a new use of local airspace. Could some local governments ban their use?
  3. I wonder this about delivery possibilities now: how close do distribution centers or drone centers need to be to residential neighborhoods to enable same-day or quicker delivery? Residents like the idea of quicker delivery but having warehouses and distribution centers closer to homes has some limits.

It sounds like these drone deliveries are going to happen and they have the potential to impact suburban life in small – and maybe larger? – ways.

Quick roundup of notable Chicago by drone

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Many have seen famous Chicago sights in person or via photography but here are links to some impressive videos of Chicago by drone. The best thing the drone adds to seeing Chicago? Changing the level of sight so as to not just be on the ground or above everything. Now, where is the ultra-impressive promotional video or commercial for Chicago utilizing this technology?

National Association of Realtors wants an exemption for drones

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The National Association of Realtors is asking the FAA to allow the use of drones for selling real estate:

The trade group last month asked the Federal Aviation Administration for a regulatory exemption to the agency’s rule on the use of unmanned aircraft for commercial purposes, saying the go-ahead would be a “game changer for the real estate industry” and a “creative and dynamic way” to present a property…

By the end of November, the FAA is expected to propose rules for the commercial use of drones that weigh less than 55 pounds.

For the real estate industry, an exemption could lead to widespread use of drones to market homes, the surrounding neighborhood and even the walk to school or drive to the closest grocery store…

“It’s great to offer an aerial view of a piece of property,” Rodriquez said. “Where it can really be used is on the home inspection side of things, inspecting roofs, before you send a live human up there. Do I think it’s going to be a game changer in the real estate industry? Possibly, but it all depends on how it’s marketed.”…

“For normal properties, normally sized properties, they are absolutely not necessary,” said Mario Greco, a real estate agent at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices KoenigRubloff Realty Group. “It’s hard enough to take a good picture of a condo, or a kitchen, with a professional camera.

This has some interesting potential, particularly with larger properties and places with backyards that are not easily seen from street views. It is often difficult to judge a backyard with typical photos. Still, the drone photos could hide certain features, like what you see from the back patio or deck, depending on the angle.

Yet, what would stop these drones from getting shots from other properties or photographing other things while in the air? I don’t want a whole mass of regulation for this but it is hard to limit drones once they are in the air.

When anti-government forces can control the public narrative about drone strikes in Yemen

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While social media was praised in helping the Arab Spring movement, the new availability of Twitter in Yemen has changed who gets to control the public narrative about violence:

The result: AQAP and the Yemeni public have left the government far behind in an information war made possible by the spread of the Internet in the Arab world’s poorest nation. Authorities can no longer shape the narrative of counterinsurgency, particularly when it comes to controversial drone strikes…But the number of Internet users in the country increased nearly tenfold between 2010 and 2012, according to government figures, although even with that rapid expansion, less than a quarter of Yemenis have regular internet access.

Most drone strikes, which are believed to be US operations, target the most impoverished and isolated parts of Yemen where AQAP operates. The region’s remoteness plays into the group’s hands; it also makes it easy for the government to suppress any negative information, including civilian casualties from drone strikes and other aerial attacks.

But now Yemenis can easily, quickly share on-the-ground information. Last December, an airstrike targeted a wedding convoy, killing roughly a dozen civilians. The government initially identified the casualties as militants, but locals soon began posting photos of the dead on Facebook and tweeting the names of victims, directly challenging the government’s obfuscation.

Sounds like quite a change in a short amount of time. The availability of the Internet and social media threaten all sorts of traditional institutions that have relied on controlling information. All of the sudden, alternative viewpoints are available and regular citizens can pick and choose which to follow, believe, and propagate.

What does this do for American foreign policy? We generally disapprove of regimes that crack down on Internet availability (think China) but this is usually because we want to get our messages through. What happens when the same technologies are used to counter American narratives?

Using drones to sell expensive homes

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What if the expensive home you are selling is really big or has stunning views? Show all of this better via drone:

On Monday, a house in the East Bay town of Alamo was being prepped to go on the market for nearly $1.5 million. To really showcase the home and its view of Mt Diablo, the realtors brought in a drone.

“You get the scale, you get the feeling of the actual home. You can see, ‘hey, this thing’s on an acre. This is what it looks like,’” said Randy Churchill of Dudum Real Estate…

Churchill says for the $500 he’ll spend on the drone video he may get 10,000 hits online, making it very cost-effective relative to hiring a private helicopter.

“This will be something that we do now on every home that we’re marketing in this price-point,” said Churchill.

This doesn’t sound all that expensive for a pricey home. I could see how this would be particularly useful for a house with numerous exterior features (as opposed to the caricatured McMansion where all of the impressive stuff is on the front and the sides and back are lifeless) or a big property, perhaps 1+ acres, where seeing it all is difficult through two dimensional pictures.

If drones do become normal parts of selling a home, how long until we see some drone images that are blurry or clearly below average, just like some of the photos available online today that appear to be taken with little skill?