Servo - January 2014

Bookbots in the Sky

Commercial use of drones hasn't caught on in the USA, primarily because the FAA is still trying to figure out how to generate regulations to address the slew of privacy and safety concerns. However, the Aussies have been at it for quite a while. In fact, in 2002, they became the first country to allow and regulate the commercial use of unmanned aircraft. More than 50 licensed operators are already in business, mostly offering aerial photography and survey services. More recently, a company called Zookal ( www.zookal.com) applied to the country's Civil Aviation Safety Authority for authorization to operate a textbook rental business that uses chopper drones for delivery. Reportedly, Zookal has raised $2.1 million from Silicon Valley venture capitalists to get started, so someone must believe in the concept.

The company will initially field a fleet of six battery-powered UAVs that can handle a payload of 2 kg ( 4. 4 lb) and carry it up to 3 km (1.9 mi). This presents some obvious limitations, as the three-volume hardcover edition of War and Peace would max it out, and most customers are likely to live more than two miles away. According to company founder and CEO Ahmed Haider, "We expect the use of drones will cut our delivery costs from $8.60 to $0.80 per delivery, and because they are battery powered, the environmental impact is minimal."

If a bookstore is located on a college campus where significant numbers of students are too lazy or buzzed to walk that far, it just might work. Unless, of course, the students have heard of e-books. SV

A Zookal book delivery bot: cheap to operate and greener than trucks.

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