Amazon
Delivery-by-drone: Prime Air.
If a customer were to choose a single retailer whom adheres to selling anything they could possibly need, Amazon would first come to mind. Beginning as an online book selling company, today boasts as being world’s largest retailer as of July this year (Li). How can world’s largest retailer provide customized service to its customers? By constantly developing new ways to take care of the customer. Bezos believes low costs ensure customer loyalty to Amazon, even if it's at the expense of profits. Amazon is one of the rare companies that on a quarterly basis shows little profit and yet is beloved by investors (Rose).
In November of 2013, Jeff Bezos, Amazon CEO, granted 60 minutes unprecedented access inside Amazon’s operations. When the show aired on December 1st, viewers were amazed at the workings of an Amazon fulfillment center. A 1.2 million square foot distribution center, the size of more than 20 football fields. There are 96 fulfillment centers worldwide. The operations tour was not the only amazement shown to the public.
Bezos revealed what he called an octocopter, which is an electric powered drone that can deliver packages up to five pounds within half an hour. He forewarned the additional years of work necessary before making it legal and safe to use drones for delivering packages.
In November of 2013, Jeff Bezos, Amazon CEO, granted 60 minutes unprecedented access inside Amazon’s operations. When the show aired on December 1st, viewers were amazed at the workings of an Amazon fulfillment center. A 1.2 million square foot distribution center, the size of more than 20 football fields. There are 96 fulfillment centers worldwide. The operations tour was not the only amazement shown to the public.
Bezos revealed what he called an octocopter, which is an electric powered drone that can deliver packages up to five pounds within half an hour. He forewarned the additional years of work necessary before making it legal and safe to use drones for delivering packages.
This past July, Gur Kimchi, VP and co-founder of Amazon’s delivery-by-drone project, Prime Air, announced its proposal of how the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) would be able to fly while avoiding planes, buildings and other obstacles. Amazon suggests a 200-foot space of air, between 200 and 400 feet from the ground, be reserved for state-of-the-art drones flying at speeds of 60 knots or more. The company has outlined five capabilities drones in the special zones must have. They include: sophisticated GPS that tracks the location of other drones in real-time, a reliable Internet connection, online flight planning to communicate the drone’s path, communications equipment, and sensor-based sense-and-avoid equipment to fly around other drones and obstacles (McFarland).
A large corporation like Amazon developing this plan to get products to consumer's doorsteps within a 30 minute cycle is incredible. With being world’s largest retailer, Amazon continues to strive to better serve their customer by challenging the standard of delivery service.
A large corporation like Amazon developing this plan to get products to consumer's doorsteps within a 30 minute cycle is incredible. With being world’s largest retailer, Amazon continues to strive to better serve their customer by challenging the standard of delivery service.