Amazon motherships

[Cman84]

I think the higherups at amazon are out of their minds.i read an article about a patent on a flying fulfillment center.....thoughts please.this should be funny.
Amazon.com Inc has filed for a patent to use airships to store products and serve as a base for delivery-drones.

According to the patent filing, drones launched from the so-called “airborne fulfillment centers” (AFCs) would use far less power than those launched from the ground.

The AFCs would hover at about 45,000 feet (13,700 meters) and be restocked and resupplied by “shuttles or smaller airships.” bit.ly/2ihP1AU

 

[Faceplanted]

People thought Wernher von Braun was an idiot too with his idea of rocket ships

Now we're exploring deep space

Moores law says something like this Amazon idea should be doable within my lifetime

 

[FrigidFTSup]

People thought Wernher von Braun was an idiot too with his idea of rocket ships

Now we're exploring deep space

Moores law says something like this Amazon idea should be doable within my lifetime

Difference with Von Braun is that rockets can scale. Airships are restricted by a number of factors.

They don't do well in the wind for one. At 45,000 feet they will be above the tropopause which will get them out of the jet stream and all but the biggest summer storms, but they still have to go through it.

Second is lack of lifting ability. To put it in perspective the Hindenburg was 800 feet long and had an internal volume of 7,000,000 cubic feet, but only had the capability of lifting a usable payload of 12 tons or so. With 100 tons of gas for a 3 day trip. Granted fuel efficiency has increased. But if it's going to stay up there, even just being buoyant, it needs some way to power itself.

Airships are rare for a reason.

 

[Richard Harrow]

I wonder if the antitrust suit will come against Amazon in my lifetime.

 

[Cman84]

We have sent a probe out of our solar system thats not exactly exploring deep space.we have yet to even step foot on mars.this idea of amazons is hilarious. Would you want a floating distribution center over your city? I wouldn't.

 

[3 done 3 to go]

Not gonna happen in my lifetime. Be much easier to launch from multiple ground sites. FAA would nix this idea

 

[rod]

You never know what the future will bring. I hear women even have the right to vote now.

 

[Indecisi0n]

You never know what the future will bring. I hear women even have the right to vote now.

Yea and the end result was Trump

 

[rod]

Yea and the end result was Trump

I thought all the women voted for their idol

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

So.....they will build helicariers like on the Avengers movies?

 

[rod]

So.....they will build helicariers like on the Avengers movies?

I wonder if it will be as big as the Mother Ship in Independence Day?

 

[rod]

 

[Rick Ross]

Probably had interns draw this and file the patent but they will get millions in free publicity. Same thing they are doing with drones.

 

[Ms.PacMan]

I thought all the women voted for their idol

They did - a rich guy who doesn't bother them under the covers.

 

[Hellobrown2000]

Not sure, but I'm pretty sure they saw the movie storks and said wow that's a good idea. Storks is a movie about well um Storks that deliver packages from buildings in the sky.

 

[Ms.PacMan]

Not sure, but I'm pretty sure they saw the movie storks and said wow that's a good idea. Storks is a movie about well um Storks that deliver packages from buildings in the sky.

You're probably exactly right! Bezos loves the attention from this crazy stuff.

 

[Wally]

 

[Over 70]

Every time I thought I read the best comment on this thread I just scroll down further.

 

[DumbTruckDriver]

Too soon bro...

 

[oldngray]

Nobody with any common sense believes the idea is practical.

Just another example of Amazon hype.