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Amazon Scores Flying Warehouse Patent That Will Send Out Delivery Drones
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E-commerce giant Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN - Free Report) has won a patent for an “airborne fulfillment center (AFC),” or a flying warehouse, like an airship or a blimp, that would float at an altitude of around 45,000 feet high. The AFC will serve as a base for drones to deliver packages to customers within minutes.
Like its land-based fulfillment centers, Amazon’s flying warehouse will be stocked with a certain number of products, and will be positioned near a location where the company predicts demand for items to spike. So, when an Amazon customer places an order, a drone or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) will descend and deliver the parcel. Amazon says that the AFC would use “little or no power other than to guide the UAV towards its delivery destination and/or to stabilize the UAV as it [flies down]” in its patent filing.
Image via: CNBC, Amazon
The drones would communicate with each other using a mesh network to give information regarding weather, wind speed, and route plans; they could even beam e-book content down to readers on the ground.
The filing also explains that the AFC would remain in the air, refueling and replenishing through a smaller shuttle. UAVs could also recharge on the airship. Like the self-driving car movement is currently experiencing, Amazon would definitely need regulatory approval from aviation authorities, which would no doubt be a long, complex process.
One particular use for these drones, especially the temperature-controlled ones suited for food delivery, would be at sporting events. Let’s say a big championship game is happening near where Amazon’s AFC is stationed, and it’s fully loaded with snacks, souvenirs, and other merchandise sports fans may want. Drones would then be sent down during the game with any coveted packages within minutes of ordering. Amazon’s AFC could also be used as a giant advertising platform that would let customers order items on display.
The patent was initially awarded in April of this year. Amazon just recently and successfully completed a trial for its first delivery by drone in the U.K. earlier this month, with plans to make drone delivery more widely available.
For more information on the drone revolution, check out the Zacks Friday Finish Line exclusive interview with Andrew Chanin, CEO of PureFunds, about the Drone Economy Strategy ETF .
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Amazon Scores Flying Warehouse Patent That Will Send Out Delivery Drones
E-commerce giant Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN - Free Report) has won a patent for an “airborne fulfillment center (AFC),” or a flying warehouse, like an airship or a blimp, that would float at an altitude of around 45,000 feet high. The AFC will serve as a base for drones to deliver packages to customers within minutes.
Like its land-based fulfillment centers, Amazon’s flying warehouse will be stocked with a certain number of products, and will be positioned near a location where the company predicts demand for items to spike. So, when an Amazon customer places an order, a drone or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) will descend and deliver the parcel. Amazon says that the AFC would use “little or no power other than to guide the UAV towards its delivery destination and/or to stabilize the UAV as it [flies down]” in its patent filing.
Image via: CNBC, Amazon
The drones would communicate with each other using a mesh network to give information regarding weather, wind speed, and route plans; they could even beam e-book content down to readers on the ground.
The filing also explains that the AFC would remain in the air, refueling and replenishing through a smaller shuttle. UAVs could also recharge on the airship. Like the self-driving car movement is currently experiencing, Amazon would definitely need regulatory approval from aviation authorities, which would no doubt be a long, complex process.
One particular use for these drones, especially the temperature-controlled ones suited for food delivery, would be at sporting events. Let’s say a big championship game is happening near where Amazon’s AFC is stationed, and it’s fully loaded with snacks, souvenirs, and other merchandise sports fans may want. Drones would then be sent down during the game with any coveted packages within minutes of ordering. Amazon’s AFC could also be used as a giant advertising platform that would let customers order items on display.
The patent was initially awarded in April of this year. Amazon just recently and successfully completed a trial for its first delivery by drone in the U.K. earlier this month, with plans to make drone delivery more widely available.
For more information on the drone revolution, check out the Zacks Friday Finish Line exclusive interview with Andrew Chanin, CEO of PureFunds, about the Drone Economy Strategy ETF .
Stocks that Aren't in the News…Yet
You are invited to download the full, up-to-the-minute list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 "Strong Buys" free of charge. Many of these companies are almost unheard of by the general public and just starting to get noticed by Wall Street. They have been pinpointed by the Zacks system that nearly tripled the market from 1988 through 2015, with a stellar average gain of +26% per year. See these high-potential stocks now >>