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Almost exactly two years ago Amazon dropped a video on to YouTube that caused a frenzy – it showed the firm using drones to deliver packages.
The idea was hailed as brilliant and the future by some, but also dangerous and slightly mad by almost as many. And while tests have been taking place in the two years since, Amazon has been very mysterious and coy about exactly what their plan is. Until now.
There are a couple of interesting points to flag up from Clarkson’s story in the video. Firstly that he mentions a “family of drones” in various designs will eventually form an Amazon fleet.
There’s also a demo of Amazon’s “sense and avoid” technology, which it says monitors possible hazards around and below it before moving to avoid them.
The video also shows customers setting up small landing zones in their gardens in order to collect deliveries, placing an Amazon ‘A’ in an appropriate, spacious, spot.
It’s also Clarkson’s second advert for the firm since he and fellow former Top Gear presenters James May and Richard Hammond joined Amazon after their now infamous departure from the BBC earlier this year.
In terms of Amazon Prime Air actually getting off the ground (ahem), the mentioned altitude limit of 400 feet is in line with what the company is pushing for – placing it below commercial air traffic and therefore making it less of an issue for air traffic control towers.
Regulations are still being ironed out in both the US and UK, but don’t be surprised to see trial regions begin to pop up during 2016.
