Thoughts on drones...Really?

quad decade guy

Well-Known Member
So, I saw a picture of the Fed-Ex drone...It sure looks complicated-lots of moving parts.

And then I got to thinking about how UPS really is: plain, ugly brown, bare minimums

on everything. At our hub, we can't keep a toilet running. Spend 10 minutes around any

UPS operation and you will know how filthy and worn out anything is. OK.

Most folks don't understand that drones will be heavily regulated by the FAA. No duct

tape and bailing wire for aircraft. I have no doubt drones and robotics are the future.

And without being able to go a whole day without some sort of incident in delivery

operations. And drones?.....propellers, 3 dimensional flight...really?

I just don't see how our(anyone else's) delivery model will work without a real size

(at least) helicopter size drone with an aircraft carrier size mother ship. I am a pilot,

plane owner, Certified Aircraft Mechanic and very familiar with the FAA regs and how

flying works.

Think about what it takes to deliver a pizza-employee, car all that. Weight is the bane

of any aircraft. What about the customer that wants to add 2 or three gallons of soda to

that pizza order. Can you imagine a car size drone appearing at your front door? Don't

think so? You have no idea about aerodynamics, physics and payloads.

I'm sure there are things that are going on with drone technology that I am not privy to.

But really?
 

coolslice

Well-Known Member
I don't believe drones will have any impact in the next couple of years, BUT UPS has the money to put into the technology and almost certainly at some point they will be implemented to some extent. It's pretty clear that UPS is serious about technology and automation as being a very prominent part of the operation going forward.

IMHO, UPS is in the transition period of moving away from an experienced, tenured, traditional workforce. They are moving more towards a workforce that is more transient, for lack of a better word. Workers will be paid less, and less will be expected of them. Turnover will be high, but expectations will be lower due to the increased technology and automation taking away the critical thinking aspects of the job.
 

MyTripisCut

Never bought my own handtruck
I don't believe drones will have any impact in the next couple of years, BUT UPS has the money to put into the technology and almost certainly at some point they will be implemented to some extent. It's pretty clear that UPS is serious about technology and automation as being a very prominent part of the operation going forward.

IMHO, UPS is in the transition period of moving away from an experienced, tenured, traditional workforce. They are moving more towards a workforce that is more transient, for lack of a better word. Workers will be paid less, and less will be expected of them. Turnover will be high, but expectations will be lower due to the increased technology and automation taking away the critical thinking aspects of the job.
You get your withdrawal card yet scabby dick?
 

Fred's Myth

Nonhyphenated American
Everyone seems to ignore the support system that drone delivery requires. Operators, maintenance, programmers, storage, etc., not to mention the original equipment investment.
You can’t hand an envelope to a drone for autonomous delivery like you can a courier.
Tremendous stumbling blocks to viability.
 

Johney

Well-Known Member
Everyone seems to ignore the support system that drone delivery requires. Operators, maintenance, programmers, storage, etc., not to mention the original equipment investment.
You can’t hand an envelope to a drone for autonomous delivery like you can a courier.
Tremendous stumbling blocks to viability.
Kinda like Orion? If there is money to be wasted on it, it will happen.
 

GenericUsername

Well-Known Member
drones are for NDA and critical care smalls basically, our highest revenue volume

So basically our Saturday operation, right? That's what we were pitched at the beginning why we were doing Saturday ground. Now it's just like any other day in terms of what I'm delivering. Poop boxes here, Comcast crap there. It's been almost a month since I've seen a critical package on a Saturday.
 

Ghost in the Darkness

Well-Known Member
Workers will be paid less, and less will be expected of them. Turnover will be high, but expectations will be lower due to the increased technology and automation taking away the critical thinking aspects of the job.

Tell that to the rookie drivers waiting in the long line with the union steward to get their daily butt chewing in the office.
 

Heavy Package

Well-Known Member
Actual photo of UPS drone supervisor interview

meeting-2-jpg.268486
 

TearsInRain

IE boogeyman
So basically our Saturday operation, right? That's what we were pitched at the beginning why we were doing Saturday ground. Now it's just like any other day in terms of what I'm delivering. Poop boxes here, Comcast crap there. It's been almost a month since I've seen a critical package on a Saturday.
sat ground had almost nothing to do with critical care volume

it was like 3-4 big name shippers, like best buy and amazon, that said they’d drop us if we didn’t
 
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