Recode reveals a radical idea for how Amazon could consolidate delivery services in urban areas.
"Amazon has applied for a patent for tailoring its fulfillment centers for a future where drones are delivering items to people’s doorsteps in urban areas," reports April Glaser.
"The e-commerce giant imagines beehive-like towers filled with robots, where drones can dock and be restocked before flying out again for another delivery," adds Glaser.
An important goal described in the patent application is the ability to locate fulfillment centers in urban areas, instead of on the outskirts of metropolitan areas where such facilities are currently located.
Glaser also notes that filing a patent application does not mean this vision of the future is a sure thing, "but it does pull the curtain back to show how the online retailer is thinking about the integration of drones into its shipping process."
FULL STORY: Amazon’s idea for a massive drone dock looks like a cross between a beehive and a spaceship
Industrial Zoning a Foothold for Amazon Distribution Centers in San Francisco
Locals aren't happy about Amazon's numerous new distribution facilities in San Francisco, but all of the new facilities are all perfectly legal under the city's zoning code—much more legal than housing, for example.
Amazon Plans Further Expansion
On the heels of building its HQ2 facility in Arlington, Amazon continues to expand its hubs in cities spread out across the country.
The Impact of Amazon Warehouses on Communities
Often located in low-income communities of color, Amazon's warehouses contribute to public health impacts like poor air quality, noise pollution, and traffic congestion.
Planning for Congestion Relief
The third and final installment of Planetizen's examination of the role of the planning profession in both perpetuating and solving traffic congestion.
Minneapolis Housing Plan a Success—Not for the Reason You Think
Housing advocates praise the city’s move to eliminate single-family zoning by legalizing triplexes on single-family lots, but that isn’t why housing construction is growing.
‘Mega-Landlords’ Threaten Housing Stability for Renters
As institutional investors buy up a larger share of single-family homes, the families renting them are increasingly vulnerable to rent increases and eviction.
Short-Term Rentals Vex Dallas City Council
Residents complain that vacation rentals exacerbate the city’s housing shortage and bring traffic and noise to residential neighborhoods, calling on the city to impose—and enforce—stricter regulations.
Traffic Fatalities Set Records as Pandemic-Era Road Carnage Shows No Signs of Stopping
An estimated 42,915 people died in automobile crashes in 2021, according to recent federal data. The increasing fatalities continue a trend that began with the outset of the pandemic.
Driver Shortage Undercuts the Potential of L.A.’s Recent Bus System Redesign
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority implemented a complete overhaul of its bus system in three waves over the course of 2021. A shortage of drivers for the system has made it impossible to implement that vision.
County of Sonoma
City of Malibu
EMC Planning Group Inc.
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Redwood City
City of Rohnert Park
City of Hot Springs
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.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.
