A while back, we did a story about drone deliveries getting more popular and how they are contributing to noise pollution in various neighborhoods, which you can read about here.
We’ve loved hearing your feedback and wanted to share a few comments we have received since publishing, along with the pros and cons of having drone delivery growing so quickly in popularity.
How have people been feeling about the idea of drone delivery?
There are some mixed feelings about the idea of drone delivery. However, most of the people that we’ve heard back from are not open to the idea, like Cheryl from Trenton, Ohio, who has a pretty valid reason.
Drones. Why do I hate them? My husband is a professional skydiver. Think about what could happen if one gets off track or flies somewhere where he is doing a demo or something!! I despise drones.
-Cheryl, Trenton, OH
Cheryl brings up a great point. One of the main downsides to drone delivery that we previously talked about was the liability issue. The best technology can even have a chance of malfunctioning, and one wrong move can land a drone company in a massive lawsuit.
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Some are against drones because they have very specific instructions for how they want their packages delivered and don’t trust a drone to do the job correctly the way a delivery person might, like Barbara from Mims, Florida.
I want my packages delivered onto my porch behind my bushes so people can’t see them from the road, not left in my driveway where it’s easier for a thief to see and steal. So in short, the disadvantages outweigh the advantage of lowered delivery cost or improved delivery speed. Thanks for the opportunity for input!
-Barbara, Mims, FL
And others simply don’t want the extra noise because of how much of a burden it can be on their neighborhoods. Take a look at what Kathy from Aberdeen, South Dakota, had to say.
I lived in WY for six years and the town paved a small runway for radio-controlled airplanes across the road from my place. From sun up to sun down, I awakened to the high whine of those damn things until I wanted to just rush to the front yard and start shooting them down. I ultimately decided there was no peace there and I quit a good government job and moved back to my home state. If it starts here I will fight them tooth and nail!
-Kathy, Aberdeen, SD
It’s been made pretty clear, at least by our readers, that many of you do not want drones flying around your neighborhoods, and I completely understand your concerns. Many of you also asked us some great questions about what having drones in your area would mean, and I would like to highlight some of those as well.
Will drones be able to deliver to the correct addresses?
Thomas, from Blythewood, South Carolina, brought up this point when he wrote about his experiences with other delivery services in the past.
Hey Cyberguy, what’s to prevent a drone from delivering to the wrong location? I live on a main road, and Google (the premiere) Maps can’t find my house. Most delivery people get lost and have to call for directions to get to my house. Other services have no issues. I certainly would not want my important packages to be delivered by a google powered drone.
-Thomas, Blythewood, SC
Companies like Google and Amazon have already begun using commercial drone delivery in a select few states. In the case of Google, people who live in areas where drone delivery is happening can download the Wing app and place their orders there. The drones are meant to be dispatched to the customer’s exact location and dropped off at their doorstep, so in theory, Thomas shouldn’t have an issue with the drones finding his address.
Credit: Wing
However, if Google Maps can’t even find where he lives, I can see why he wouldn’t want to use another delivery service under the company.
What about trespassing?
People like Pete from Fleming, Florida, also want to know what is considered trespassing when it comes to drones.
I’m against the use of drones for delivery. If they fly over my property is it considered trespassing? If it does, can I legally shoot it down? If it crashes on my property can I sue the company? Dumb idea that hasn’t been thoroughly thought out.
-Pete, Fleming Island, FL
Drone laws vary from state to state, so it’s tough to say what is legally allowed and what isn’t. In Florida’s case (since that’s where Pete is writing from), delivery drones must first be approved by the FAA and must fly below 400 feet in the air.
Once a company has obtained a permit from the FAA, it can then begin operating delivery drones in Florida as long as it complies with all other drone operation regulations in the state. So I would say if drone deliveries begin in the state of Florida by companies that are following all the legalities, it would likely be illegal to shoot one down and sue the company even if you don’t want it flying over your property.
Will the drones have to be insured?
This is another great question that was sent to us by our reader Bob, who did not identify his location.
Will these delivery drones have to carry insurance cards and contact information when they damage cars, homes, or injure people???
-Bob
The FAA is the department in the United States that is in charge of making laws and regulations for delivery drones, as well as providing permits for allowing them to fly. As of now, the FAA is considering having delivery drones carry insurance in the case of any damages happening, especially because all vehicles are required to have insurance, and drones are considered to be vehicles.
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No specific regulations have been made yet that would require delivery drones to carry insurance. However, should the FAA decide to make this a requirement, the type of insurance required will likely depend on the size and weight of the drone and the type of goods that it is delivering.
Are there any new pros to having drone delivery services?
One comment was brought to our attention by Timothy from Rogersville, Tennessee that gave me a little more hope when it comes to drone delivery services.
You need to check out the new props that students of MIT are creating. They have developed a quieter prop for drones and it’s more efficient because there are no blade tips, reducing the amount of drag.
Timothy, Rogersville, TN
So, I decided to look into what was going on at MIT, and it’s true, the team of students there is making a new type of drone propeller that is meant to be much quieter than regular drone propellers, which would at least solve the noise issue.
The students are creating what is called toroidal propellers, which have no blade tips and therefore reduce the amount of drag and noise. These propellers have a donut-like shape and a smooth surface. The propellers were tested inside a wind tunnel and were found to be 10 decibels quieter and much more energy efficient than a traditional propeller.
Here is a video from the MIT Lincoln Laboratory showing how the drone works.
Kurt’s key takeaways
We’ve truly appreciated all your valuable feedback, and we hope to keep this an open discussion. I’ll admit that I’m hopeful about this new invention from MIT solving the noise issue for drones, and I do hope that the FAA decides to go through with plans to require delivery drones to carry insurance for safety purposes. I’d love to know your thoughts after reading this information to see if any of your opinions have changed.
What else concerns you about having delivery drones? Does MIT’s invention make you feel more hopeful? Let us know by commenting below.
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