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Comment by listic | Hacker News Reader

I wonder how can delivery with drones be more economically effective than with cars and drivers, with "distances of 10 miles or more"? Which, if I'm not mistaken, still somewhat exceeds capabilities of today's drones.

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People are expensive.

They're not that expensive and are very flexible dealing with the very analog common-sense-requiring situation that is dropping off a package.

They are much, much more expensive then drones. Minimum wage, benefits, delivery vehicle maintenance, insurance, etc etc etc.

Yes, people are more expensive. In that they're paid wages. Others things you list are common to automated platforms. But people are also good in dealing with imprecise situations that are common with package delivery. I actually believe Amazon is seriously interested in pursuing this. I also believe it's largely stupid.

Do you know why medic-vac helicopters exist? Not necessarily because they move faster than an ambulance, but because they can travel as the crow flies. Even if a drone and a human delivery driver cost the same, a human could never come close to the delivery speed of a drone simply because they can fly over stop signs, stop lights, inefficient road design and get to the home the fastest. And for Amazon, that is the value, getting the package to the customer as quick as possible.

Yes and medic-vac helicopters also exist because they're responding to genuine emergencies which justifies both the expense and any externalities (e.g. noise and marginal danger) associated with their flying over houses etc. to save a few minutes. Sending flocks of flying vehicles over houses to deliver cables or pizzas because people need them RIGHT NOW is not the same.

I do see scenarios where drones make sense but I have a lot of trouble envisioning people being fine with the skies of suburbia being filled with drones all the time.

They are not very loud; they have a smaller impact than a UPS truck or a pizza delivery guy racing against time. They will get lots of vehicles off the road. I see folks embracing drone delivery as a solution!

Oh fill the sky with drones, no worries there.

If they start crashing on my head during a picnic, I would be a little annoyed...

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