Delivery-by-drone continues to make strides to becoming a feasible reality, as testing in rural Australia has seen burritos fly through the air from restaurant to customers' back yards.
Ongoing testing of delivery-by-drone has reached the point of door-to-door burrito and meds delivery. The drone delivery program piloted by Google-parent company Alphabet is slowly progressing with test runs taking place in rural communities in Australia. Alex Hern of The Guardianwrites that Alphabet's 'Project Wing' drone delivery program is helping the company understand how people prefer to receive their deliveries while also understanding the challenges that businesses, such as Mexican restaurant Guzman y Gomez, face in delivering fresh and hot food by air.
The company also needs to learn how a variety of businesses actually pack their products for flight. “In the case of Guzman y Gomez, who is our first delivery partner for this trial, we’ll need to make sure our technology fits in smoothly into their kitchen operations, as their staff have to juggle many orders at once to ensure that every customer is served fresh, hot food in a timely fashion,” [Project Wing’s co-lead James Ryan Burgess] wrote.
Hern notes that the delivery-by-drone market is becoming more crowded, as companies including Amazon have continued to develop their drone programs.
FULL STORY: Alphabet tests Project Wing drones by delivering burritos and medicine
The Hidden Costs of Drone Delivery
Ultra-fast drone delivery promises convenience, but comes at a high cost for workers, the environment, and public space.
Envisioning a Future Urban Dronescape
Jeff Bezos' proposal to deliver packages by aerial drone has the potential to upset traditional models of logistics and distribution, but it's most powerful effect may be on the urban airspace. Are blue skies ahead for Bezos' vision?
Could Amazon Drones Increase Urban Property Values?
Developers at Google and Amazon are among those working diligently to produce a near future full of autonomous cars and delivery devices. Economics professor Casey B. Mulligan suggests such advances will increase the value of urban land.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).
The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns
In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.
The States Losing Rural Delivery Rooms at an Alarming Pace
In some states, as few as 9% of rural hospitals still deliver babies. As a result, rising pre-term births, no adequate pre-term care and "harrowing" close calls are a growing reality.
The Small South Asian Republic Going all in on EVs
Thanks to one simple policy change less than five years ago, 65% of new cars in this Himalayan country are now electric.
DC Backpedals on Bike Lane Protection, Swaps Barriers for Paint
Citing aesthetic concerns, the city is removing the concrete barriers and flexposts that once separated Arizona Avenue cyclists from motor vehicles.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)