Drones, Underwater Storage, Now Amazon Wants To Drop Things Down Shutes
First it was drones, then came the underwater storage areas, now Amazon has registered a patent a Shute that allows drones to drop off a parcel without ever having to land.
As one wag said, “they must be worried about people nicking their drones”.
The new patent describes an accordion-like tube that would extend from the drone to a drop-off point such as a porch and let the package slide through to a safe landing.
The new Shute is designed so that Amazon can deliver packages when conditions aren’t optimal for landing and also cut down on noise pollution when it extends from the drone to a drop-off point such as a porch and let the package slide through to a safe landing.
The Shute has a shroud with ridges on the inside to slow down the release of the package as it fell from the drone above.
The technology would also enable the drones to more easily navigate winds and avoid contact with obstacles as well as the customers.
An additional benefit would be their ability to muffle noise created by the drone.
Each drone could have up to four shrouds and extend them according to the situation.
‘When the aerial vehicle (drone) arrives at a delivery area, the shroud is extended from the underneath side of the aerial vehicle as the aerial vehicle descends,’ the patent – which was filed on Tuesday – says.
It goes on to describe how the shroud would act as a ‘channel in which a payload, such as an ordered item, may be passed to facilitate delivery of the item.’
The shroud – which a single drone may have up to four of – would have ridges on the inside to slow down the release of the package.
Once the item was successfully delivered, the drone would retract the shrouds and fly away.
The technology would also enable the drones to more easily navigate winds and avoid contact with obstacles as well as customers.
An additional benefit would be their ability