Amazon Files Patent for Flying Warehouse

Not content with just using drones for local deliveries Amazon has filed a patent for a giant floating warehouse from which a fleet of drones can be stocked and dispatched , the warehouses could solve the problem of flight distances for the drones as they could be moved to locations the company expect high demand for the service.

The flying warehouse or "Airborne Fulfilment Centres" would be kept aloft using a giant airship.

In the documents detailing the scheme, Amazon said the combination of drones and flying warehouses, or "airborne fulfilment centres", would deliver goods much more quickly than those stationed at its ground-based warehouses.

Also, it said, the drones descending from the AFCs - which would cruise and hover at altitudes up to 45,000ft (14,000m) - would use almost no power as they glided down to make deliveries. Many firms working on drones are struggling with ways to extend their relatively short range, which is typically dependent on the size of the battery they carry.

The patent lays out a comprehensive scheme for running a fleet of AFCs and drones. It suggests smaller airships could act as shuttles taking drones, supplies and even workers to and from the larger AFCs.
www.bbc.co.uk...

How's that for 21st century.

a reply to: gortex

How's that for 21st century.

Fine, except on windy days.

a reply to: gortex

Forget Sully and geese, this has all the ingredients for disaster, Amazon drones being sucked into engines? could never happen could it. In saying that, they could always drop cables from the AFC's for an instant air defence system in the outbreak of war ....... wait that was so last century

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: gortex

How's that for 21st century.

Fine, except on windy days.

"Windy days" are usually localized and the AFC's may well be designed to loiter at altitudes above weather systems. Alternatively, the AFC could also be parked outside of the area affected by inclement weather.

And of course, Lighter than Air Vehicles (LAV's) are not limited in design to the traditional "blimp" shape depicted in the illustration; given the size implied by the patent, I would expect Amazon's AFC LAV to employ a much more aerodynamic, and very Unconventional, design.

originally posted by: gortex
How's that for 21st century.

I like the idea, although the plan is seriously out of step with other current giant rigid blimp plans from the US/UK/Russia, and as proof-of-concept those rigid blimps are already there, all they need is customers, or charters...the likes of Amazon being obvious ones.
Amazon should work with one or more of those companies to work out all the logistics of a heavy lift vehicle that this would need to be.

a reply to: gortex

i think its a cool idea, crazy but very ccol


when you need the giant gummy bear NOW

a reply to: gortex

I don't understand why we don't just use underground or over land tubes like at the large post offices and banks....

I feel for the folks caught in its shadow. No sun for you! No solar power for you! No gardens for you!!!

And a patent? Really? What an abuse of the system and its original intent.... so, of course, it will no doubt it be granted.

pop the blimp= tons of free stuff, they need to think this through better

Kind of reminds me of the video game Bioshock Infinite...



They had Airships similar to the drawings in the OP... of course the entire city floated above the rest of the world because its founder didn't like the way they ran things below so he built his own land in the sky.

Although I must say... It would indeed be quite the interesting spectacle to see something like that floating by in the sky with little drones whizzing in and out of it.

a reply to: gortex

This could be the early phase(s) of infrastructure for flying vehicles. If a warehouse can be flown then why not a restaurant or a convenience store? Even a charging station for an electric flying vehicle?

a reply to: lostbook

If a warehouse can be flown then why not a restaurant or a convenience store? Even a charging station for an electric flying vehicle?

Because gravity.

When your land based vehicle breaks down or runs out of fuel, you simply pull over.

originally posted by: Zarniwoop
a reply to: lostbook

If a warehouse can be flown then why not a restaurant or a convenience store? Even a charging station for an electric flying vehicle?

Because gravity.

When your land based vehicle breaks down or runs out of fuel, you simply pull over.

If Amazon has filed for a patent for a flying warehouse then there must be a solution to the issue you're addressing.

If one crash lands on my property, I am not going to give the gifts from Santa back. Possession is nine tenths of the law.

a reply to: gortex

Sometimes being Dyslexic is fun.

I just read that as "Amazon Files Patent for Flying Whorehouse". LoL

a reply to: Bhadhidar

And of course, Lighter than Air Vehicles (LAV's) are not limited in design to the traditional "blimp" shape depicted in the illustration; given the size implied by the patent, I would expect Amazon's AFC LAV to employ a much more aerodynamic, and very Unconventional, design.

A Balloon is a balloon, large surface area, especially one floating a 'warehouse'. They learned during and after WWI that the big dirigibles were indeed subject to 'inclement weather', this was proved time and again. Mainly because the weather changes.

The kind of ambitious load lifter they are proposing here would be disastrous huge, even more dangerous to the public at large.

But go head on, I'd love to see the footage of one drifting out of control into a big city, dragging along, half inflated, furrowing a path in residential neighborhood for miles.

Its not April 1st already is it?

originally posted by: lostbook

originally posted by: Zarniwoop
a reply to: lostbook

If a warehouse can be flown then why not a restaurant or a convenience store? Even a charging station for an electric flying vehicle?

Because gravity.

When your land based vehicle breaks down or runs out of fuel, you simply pull over.

If Amazon has filed for a patent for a flying warehouse then there must be a solution to the issue you're addressing.

No, not necessarily. Anyone can file a patent.

Man, George Carlin is probably rolling in his grave at the thought of giant commercial blimps distributing crap to the populace faster than ever.


The sky is gonna be dotted with Amazon blimps now. *shakes head*

this big floating ass crashed in the uk this summer