Drone delivery in NZ - Fastway Couriers

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#1328661 21-Jun-2015 14:14

networkn: Sorry to say but I can't think of a worse company to run something like this. They have a pretty average history of managing to deliver parcels the regular way.

To be fair - whilst the couriers themselves may be bad at delivering, the company themselves are forward looking with done trials. I just hope the drones don't have a pile of "I tried to delivery but you weren't home" cards onboard that get delivered to random address ;-)

Batman

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#1328705 21-Jun-2015 15:19

wouldn't it be easier to email/sms for collection?

richms

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#1328708 21-Jun-2015 15:26

It would be easier. As would going to residential addresses in the evenings when people are home, and also proactively arranging with people locations on where parcels can be left.

None of the couriers do any of those things. It appears that residential deliveries are just something that annoy them and they hope that if they do a really bad job of it with re-charging the recipient for redelivery and annoying hours for pickup at a far away depot that people will just give up and not have stuff delivered to their homes.

In fact I have filled the form in 3 times with NZ couriers to get a bar code for the parcel leaving location (twice in person at the depot all the way in Albany and once online) and not got a thing from them.

Drone wont help with their anti-recipient attitudes.

Richard rich.ms

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#1328714 21-Jun-2015 15:38

freitasm: Battery life is going to be the killer problem.

Yeah that would be an issue, but! there is solar power! at least on sunny days :P

Overall, interesting but would only be only practical for short distances unless there will be hubs around the city (i think what amazon planned or had considered doing)

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#1328728 21-Jun-2015 16:15

I have a scary thought since I heard of these quadcopters (which I hope will never happen) that if the baddies read the internet they will find it much easier to send "packages" to their enemies.

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#1328734 21-Jun-2015 16:27

joker97: I have a scary thought since I heard of these quadcopters (which I hope will never happen) that if the baddies read the internet they will find it much easier to send "packages" to their enemies.

You are overthinking things. Perhaps with some paranoia as well.

Richard rich.ms

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#1328746 21-Jun-2015 17:16

Perhaps

DravidDavid

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#1328912 21-Jun-2015 23:15

I think drone "hacking" could become a problem if this idea takes off (pun absolutely intended). Script kiddies with radio/GPS equipment and a laptop could acquire a drone and collect the package as a bonus.

Unless there is some kind of uninterruptible flight system they run, complaints about courier drivers who leave cards, might turn in to complaints about drones that don't arrive. Or arrive with empty boxes.

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#1329072 22-Jun-2015 10:30

I've never played around with drones/quad copters, etc. How would they handle carrying a large (but lightweight) square box in wind conditions like Wellington has this morning?

Beccara

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#1329096 22-Jun-2015 10:58

A good hex wouldn't have any real issue

Most problems are the result of previous solutions...

All comment's I make are my own personal opinion and do not in any way, shape or form reflect the views of current or former employers unless specifically stated

DravidDavid

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#1329128 22-Jun-2015 11:47

Beccara: A good hex wouldn't have any real issue

Perhaps not, but would use considerably more juice to get to it's destination.

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timbosan

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#1329140 22-Jun-2015 12:00

DravidDavid:
Beccara: A good hex wouldn't have any real issue

Perhaps not, but would use considerably more juice to get to it's destination.

There are many drones than can lift more, here is one that can lift 42 pounds (20KG's): Tayzu Robotics Titan X8 But it is $10,000USD

Or Intuitive Aerial’s Heavy-Lift Aerigon Drone System can lift up to 30 pounds (about 15kg)

networkn

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#1329218 22-Jun-2015 12:50

timbosan:
DravidDavid:
Beccara: A good hex wouldn't have any real issue

Perhaps not, but would use considerably more juice to get to it's destination.

There are many drones than can lift more, here is one that can lift 42 pounds (20KG's): Tayzu Robotics Titan X8 But it is $10,000USD

Or Intuitive Aerial’s Heavy-Lift Aerigon Drone System can lift up to 30 pounds (about 15kg)

10k is cheap compared to van and people

timbosan

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#1329222 22-Jun-2015 12:58

networkn:
timbosan:
DravidDavid:
Beccara: A good hex wouldn't have any real issue

Perhaps not, but would use considerably more juice to get to it's destination.

There are many drones than can lift more, here is one that can lift 42 pounds (20KG's): Tayzu Robotics Titan X8 But it is $10,000USD

Or Intuitive Aerial’s Heavy-Lift Aerigon Drone System can lift up to 30 pounds (about 15kg)

10k is cheap compared to van and people

Exactly! For a commercial operation, $10K is nothing, and even with automation+training+compliance, its got to be less than a van+man. However, one problem no-one has yet picked up on, it that a van can hold 10's or 100's of parcel, but a drone can only hold 1. But if a driver is working day 10 hours a day for deliveries, this is offset by the potential 24/7 delivery times a drone could achieve, even at 1 parcel at a time.

it would be interesting to plot that out - seeing what the potential delivery goals are for say a month of a drone working 24/7 with single deliverys vs. man+van working 6 days, 8 hours a day.

Sideface

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#1329233 22-Jun-2015 13:00

networkn: ... 10k is cheap compared to van and people

True, but a drone can only carry one item per round trip. And people are required to fly them.

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