Is Drone Delivery Feasible?
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowPurdue University researchers believe Amazon.com Inc. (Nasdaq: AMZN) has several problems to work out before its idea of drone delivery becomes reality. A mechanical engineering team is working on similar technology and points to issues include battery life, potential GPS navigation problems and the need for FAA approval as some of the obstacles. Student Mike Sarzynski believes the current technology may be better suited for things like pizza delivery. Sarzynski and Mechanical Engineering Instructor John Nolfi examined the feasibility of the technology during an appearance on Inside INdiana Business Television. Sarzynski believes pizza delivery could work because each location could serve as a distribution center. They would have to drones make a delivery and return before the batteries died.
Even though there are issues, Nolfi believes the Amazon plan is “not crazy.” He adds another key issue is working out logistics with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.
He adds drones are only one project mechanical engineering teams are working on at the university.
Nolfi says another initiative involves using golf ball technology on surf boards to reduce drag.
Source: Inside INdiana Businesss