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Some time ago, it was reported by Techbeat and various other sites that Amazon had announced they were going to be using delivery drones... Amazon’s Delivery Drones in Stage 6 of Development

Some time ago, it was reported by Techbeat and various other sites that Amazon had announced they were going to be using delivery drones in the future. The news caused quite a stir as it sounded a bit too futuristic for some, while others thought it was a great idea. Never a company to take their time or let others beat them to the punch, Amazon has recently assured the world that they haven’t given up on their delivery drones idea – quite the opposite in fact. What they have been doing since their initial revelation is fine-tuning their idea, while testing out quite a few different types of drones.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos recently revealed all of this in a letter he wrote to Amazon’s shareholders. In a direct quote from the letter, Bezos wrote: “The Prime Air team is already flight testing our 5th and 6th generation aerial vehicles…and we are in the design phase on generations 7 and 8.” Wow. It seems Amazon might be farther ahead than many of us realized. Is this a bad thing? That remains to be seen.

Amazon's Delivery Drones in Stage 6 of Development

Amazon truly believes they will eventually have a drone service capable of delivering your orders within a half hour of you placing them. I’ll admit – that does sound a bit futuristic to me, but it also sounds awesome. One can only wonder at the cost of such a service.

Another question I have (the FAA will have the same question) is how can Amazon assure the safety of everyone when using their delivery drones? After all, these drones will be flying through the air at high-speeds and I assume they will be delivering items to the doorstep. What happens if a drone inches a little too close to a person, and you know, it’s off with their head? While I’m sure Amazon will work out all the kinks before they begin the service, there are undoubtedly a large amount of safety questions which much first be asked and answered.

What do you think of this announcement by Amazon? Do you think it’s a good idea or a huge liability? Let us know in the comments section below.

[Image via parade.condenast]

SOURCE: http://www.cnet.com/news/amazon-delivery-drones-edge-closer-to-reality/