After U.S. frustration, Amazon has recently begun testing its new scifi-like drone program and has chosen British Columbia as its testing ground. Travelers will be hard pressed to catch the drone in action, as the site, just north of the U.S. border in Canada, has remained a closely guarded secret. This is in line with Amazon’s new drone delivery service, called Prime Air, which will be available in 4-5 years.
The e-commerce giant had been warned multiple times by the U.S. Government who has been notoriously hesitant with the new technology. The Canadian government has been more understanding giving Amazon full authorization to run the frequent experimental flights. The site has been rumored to be an open plot of land said to be lined with oak and fir trees and located close to the American border by only 2000 ft.
The drone, dubbed the “octocopter”, will be flying test cargo weighing less than 55 lbs on flight paths of 10 miles or longer of speeds up to 50 mph. The drones will be carrying test packages mostly of up to 5lbs which account for 86% of the company’s total orders.The octocopter drone is cutting edge science in aeronautics supposedly having the necessary ability to fly and land vertically as well as horizontally, something that most aviation vehicles can only dream of.
Though the exact location has been kept secret by the e-commerce behemoth, the company has revealed is that it has employed an awe-inspiring line up of robotics, software engineers, aeronautics experts, and pioneers in remote sensing, including a former astronaut, and the designer of the Boeing 787, all working on the under wraps drone project.
Part of the US dilemma is that the drones will be occupying US airspace, but Amazon has planned to utilize what it calls “virgin airspace,” above 200ft, where most buildings end, and below 500ft, the sweet spot where general aviation begins.
Amazon’s goal is to give customers the ability of having their packages delivered within a time frame of only 30 minutes of ordering online.
Investors are closely watching drone technology as many tech experts see it as the next frontier in innovation and technology, with billions of dollars at stake. Although the US entity, he Federal aviation Association has issued a few sparse passes at American businesses wanting to take their business to the sky, there still has not been much allowance of the new drone technology. The US government will have to wise up soon to the burgeoning technology, because the drones are coming!
