Google and Amazon are in serious talks about commercial drone traffic with NASA and Intel. Soon enough, even eBay and Facebook may bring in drone delivery services. The talks have several goals. In short, the companies want to ease the process to having dedicated airspace for drone travel and to make a central control system that would regulate flight and travel.
Amazon and Google Project Wing Have Different Priorities When it Comes to Drone Deliveries
Google’s Project Wing is taking drone delivery services very seriously. Regulation is one of the most important aspects of developing this technology. Ideally, Google wants to design a system that would allow drones to state their location and destination. The system would log this information in and either allow, delay or deny take off. The drone would send a string of updates as it travels to keep its safety in check until it reached its destination. It can be assumed that a similar system will be implanted for the return flight.
In order for this to happen, commercial drone operators will have a whole step-by-step system to create. They would also need a fraction of airspace in every region where this service will be operating. Not only that, but they would also need a fail-safe procedure for when the drone is at a dead zone or one with very little connectivity. In the case of limited connectivity, weather or any other hazard, the drone has to be able to keep the system updated and carry out the delivery. Basically, Google wants a drone version of the air traffic control system used in commercial flying today. Except they’d like for the system to be as autonomous as possible.
Amazon and eBay Probably Have the Same Take on Drones
Amazon has a slightly different take on regulation. They aim for making the drones as smart as possible. Their focus is on in-flight sense and avoids mechanisms. Regardless of how efficient a control system is, it can’t account for balloons, birds, kites or dogs. The natural hazards are imminent. In other words, Amazon is looking for the right drone and Google is looking for the right system.
The rest of the basics are agreed on by both firms. The technology needs to be tested out for a long while until it reaches the level where it can be regulated. Because of this, nearly every company that wants to get involved in commercial drone usage are collaborating with NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration on the Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management project. This project seeks to secure a string of airspace that will allow for drone usage. The results of this project won’t be fully released until at least 2019, but we can see many changes before then.
eBay and Facebook Could Join In On the Talk
It is possible that companies like eBay will eventually join the ranks of these projects. Not only because it is relevant to eCommerce, but the technology might bring in many new users. Facebook may not offer services that use drones just yet, but judging at how they’re dipping toes onto every industry, they could. Drones are a powerful user magnet, so it’s possible eBay and Facebook worm themselves into the use of this technology.
