Are drones a viable package delivery option?

Lisa McTigue Pierce, Executive Editor

May 23, 2016

1 Min Read
Are drones a viable package delivery option?

In February 2016, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos confirmed that the global online retailer will be testing the use of drones for package delivery in Canada, the U.K. and the Netherlands. The goal of Amazon Prime Air is to “get packages to customers in 30 minutes or less” and using drones for the last leg of product delivery might be the most time and cost effective way of doing that.

Other companies have drone package-delivery programs, too. Google expects its Project Wing to be up and flying by 2017. And Walmart has asked the FAA for permission to test drones for package delivery, according to the FlexPort blog.

Some markets seem to have a jump on FAA acceptance. Last summer, the aviation agency approved the first drone drug delivery service in Virginia from a company called Flirtey, according to Pharmacy Times.

We'd like to know what you think about this emerging technology and its viability as a package delivery option, especially as ecommerce shopping continues to grow at astonishing rates.

Please take a few minutes to give us your opinion in this short poll. Thanks.

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About the Author(s)

Lisa McTigue Pierce

Executive Editor, Packaging Digest

Lisa McTigue Pierce is Executive Editor of Packaging Digest. She’s been a packaging media journalist since 1982 and tracks emerging trends, new technologies, and best practices across a spectrum of markets for the publication’s global community. Reach her at [email protected] or 630-272-1774.

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