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Eugene

(61,782 posts)
Mon Oct 26, 2015, 05:06 PM Oct 2015

Wal-Mart seeks to test drones for home delivery, pickup

Source: Reuters

Technology | Mon Oct 26, 2015 4:47pm EDT

Exclusive: Wal-Mart seeks to test drones for home delivery, pickup

CHICAGO | BY NATHAN LAYNE

Wal-Mart Stores Inc applied Monday to U.S. regulators for permission to test drones for home delivery, curbside pickup and checking warehouse inventories, a sign it plans to go head-to-head with Amazon in using drones to fill and deliver online orders.

The world's largest retailer by revenue has for several months been conducting indoor tests of small unmanned aircraft systems – the term regulators use for drones - and is now seeking for the first time to test the machines outdoors. It plans to use drones manufactured by China's SZ DJI Technology Co Ltd.

In addition to having drones take inventory of trailers outside its warehouses and perform other tasks aimed at making its distribution system more efficient, Wal-Mart is asking the Federal Aviation Administration for permission to research drone use in "deliveries to customers at Walmart facilities, as well as to consumer homes," according to a copy of the application reviewed by Reuters.

The move comes as Amazon.com Inc, Google and other companies test drones in the expectation that the FAA will soon establish rules for their widespread commercial use. FAA Deputy Administrator Michael Whitaker said in June that the agency expected to finalize regulations within the next 12 months, faster than previously planned. Commercial drone use is currently illegal, though companies can apply for exemptions.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/26/us-wal-mart-stores-drones-exclusive-idUSKCN0SK2IQ20151026
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Wal-Mart seeks to test drones for home delivery, pickup (Original Post) Eugene Oct 2015 OP
Great idea -- what could possibly go wrong??? rocktivity Oct 2015 #1
some day robots will deliver junk to robots olddots Oct 2015 #2
 

olddots

(10,237 posts)
2. some day robots will deliver junk to robots
Mon Oct 26, 2015, 06:44 PM
Oct 2015

then the robots will start using human labor because its cheaper .

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