We discussed the various applications of drones a few weeks ago. Check out this video for an idea nobody hit upon in class.
Amazon is currently in the research and development phase of a service dubbed Amazon Prime Air. Essentially, it is a drone product transport system aimed at delivering packages within 30 minutes of being ordered.
In just a few years, a drone may be dropping by your home in order to complete a personal delivery!
What perfect timing on Amazon's part, announcing these just a couple weeks after we talked about drones in class and had a demonstration!
ReplyDeleteAs we've been looking at revolutions in science and technology, one of the prominent themes has been the role of scientists in looking beyond the technical aspects of their work and understand the social implications. I thought this article did a decent job of balancing technical questions with some other issues. However, notice how one of the very first questions is "how quickly could this all happen?" Society has just as much responsibility as scientists to not be blinded by the zeal for a new technology.
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/12/a-drone-delivery-expert-answers-the-big-questions-about-amazons-plans/281980/
There was just a 60 minutes piece on this Sunday, also. I didn't see this piece, but but I heard they talked to an individual from Deer Trail, Colorado who has been trying to push a city ordinance through that might put a stop to Amazon flying drones into his town. There is a link below if you are interested.
ReplyDeleteA synopsis of his argument goes like this: "We do not want drones in town.They fly in town, they get shot down." He later states his reasoning: "This is a very symbolic ordinance. Basically, I do not believe in the idea of a surveillance society, and I believe we are heading that way."
This kind of goes with what you are saying, Aya: that "society has just as much responsibility as scientists to not be blinded by the zeal for a new technology." This guy does not plan to be blindsided by a government conspiracy to be approach on his "right to privacy." No, he will get out a gun and shoot that poor delivery-drone down.
I had a discussion about this months ago with a "survivalist" friend of mine who completely agreed with the Deer Trail "No-2-Drones" ordinance. He went so far as to say that the town limits include all the airspace above them. I asked him, if this passed, what was to stop them from passing an ordinance that allowed shooting other vehicles they did not like in their town, like hybrids, scooters, or, god-forbid, a lightweight solar powered non-carbon emitting monstrosity?
As far as Deer Trail, CO is concerned, I believe the zeal-o-meter is pointing in the opposite direction from the technology zealots noted in the Atlantic article, which is why policy becomes so important. I know. I said "policy:" I can hear the drones now (punny, huh?). There is a delicate balancing act between the people that want it now and the people who despise anything new. With technology becoming more and more advanced at an exponential rate, who can really blame either of these parties? Does anyone remember when Bill Gates was sued in 1998 for a Microsoft being a monopoly? Litigators and judges were fumbling around like drunk monkeys in $1000.00 three-piece suits trying to understand the intricacies of computer technology. I guess the lesson here is, technology got ahead of policy and policy didn't even know what it was looking at when it tried to do something to slow it down.
As far as delivery-drones are concerned, my biggest concern would be my kids slamming the door open and smashing the poor little UAV into bits and having to replace it. That or the UAV slicing into my children's skull as it was dropping off my christmas shopping.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/eastern-plains/town-of-deer-trail-considering-hunting-licenses-for-unmanned-aerial-vehicles-bounties-for-drones
I saw Amazon's drones on TV the other day just as many of you have said. With all this snow we have today, I wonder how the drones would function in adverse weather conditions. I can just imagine numerous consumer products that were purchased littering the ski slopes of Colorado.
ReplyDeleteShane said, "This is a very symbolic ordinance," according to the man in Deer Trail, Colorado. I think he is a bit misguided, and so does Steven Colbert as he did a special humorous piece on this man. We are already under quite a lot of surveillance as it is without realizing it. I'm sure the government could find me quite easily through my smart phone. While the intentions of the man from Deer Trail may be reasonable, he should have started his campaign fifty years ago before technology and GPS became so widespread.