Delivery drones will soon fly into the air to deliver your online shopping orders. When it comes to flying machines, one thing is always a risk – crashing while it tries to land.
It may not be the drone itself that crashes, but its package also has that risk. What will happen to your precious cargo if the drone crashes? What will happen to your items if the drone drops off the package to your doorstep?
Land Crash and the Solution
Any drop – from any height – can damage the package. While there are ways to prevent fall/drop-related damages such as bubble wrap and packing peanuts, it is still an issue. The responsibility comes down to the drone itself. And the term ‘comes down’ is very apropos, as a drone’s landing mechanic can very well determine the package’s safety.
A drone can drop off your package a few ways. First, the drone lands at your doorway. This takes careful and precise managing to stick. A simple bump and a drone can come crashing down. With vertical takeoff and vertical landing, having a small space such as a doormat is enough.
The No-Contact Land Method
Another is to airdrop a package. This eliminates the risk of a drone crashing while trying to land. It does not stop and it does not land. All it does is release the package with a parachute and it drops to the area. The issue here is the accuracy. For those who order expensive things, having a drone drop their goods from above may sound risky. It could land on a neighbor’s yard and never heard from again.
Final Words
A third way – and undoubtedly the most impractical – is landing through a runway. You can see why this is not a good idea for online shopping delivery drones. It requires a ton of space to land, and most households cannot accommodate.
What do you think? What is the most applicable landing method?
