This cylindrical hive is Amazon’s vision of a UAV delivery center, where trucks can deliver loads of items for aerial last-mile delivery by swarms of multicopter drones(Credit: USPTO)
A patent filed by Amazon outlines the company’s vision for vertical drone delivery hives that could be destined for urban centers. These tall, multilevel cylinders would receive truck freight at the ground level, with robots then loading up delivery drones that would leave and return through dozens of windows dotted up the sides of the structure.
Amazon’s vast order fulfillment centres are already otherworldly. A company that wants to be able to sell you everything needs a ton of space to keep its everythings in, and some real logistical intelligence to keep deliveries fast and accurate – especially as the company expands into groceries and fresh food.
A drone launching system flings the UAV upwards and outwards(Credit: USPTO)
by Loz Blain
