Lord of the Skies

It seems like just a few years ago seeing a drone in a film or on TV was an exciting new concept that would take decades before it would come to be reality. To my knowledge the first film to feature a drone was Runaway in 1984. If you would have told people back then that today there would be drones flying over our heads delivering pizzas and new shoes they would have called you a dreamer, I mean we didn’t invent the plane until 1903. Today I am going to take a look at some of the most forward-thinking organisations that are looking into developing the tech and regulations to allow our skies to be filled with flying fish and ships.

Who’s leading the way?

There are a number of established and new start-ups that are leading the way when it comes to Drone technology as it could be a more practical and cost-effective way than other delivery methods. Some of these companies include Zipline, Airbus, UPS Flight Forward Inc, Amazon Prime Air and Arone Aerial Logistics. Over 300 million dollars has been invested into the development of the drone technology since 2012 and with roads in towns and cities becoming overrun with cars and trucks more and more companies are seeking cheaper and more economic ways of delivering goods and supplies.

What are the Concerns?

There are many concerns and issues that companies are facing before full roll out will be possible, this includes air traffic control, safety, regulations and effectiveness. Safety is the main concern with companies having to assure authorities and governing bodies that any drones that are flying above our heads will not simply fall out of the sky and potentially injury anyone. Another stumbling block will be air space and how we are going to ensure that there won’t be any collisions with other drones, low flying vehicles and wildlife. A lot of research and testing is currently underway to find solutions to all these concerns, for example Amazon Prime Air have developed a drone with 6 rotors which allow for better stability and durability.

How will this impact jobs?

What does this mean for delivery drivers and couriers? Well as with anything new, the industry with evolve and adapt. I believe that drones will begin to be tested and used in certain areas so definitely on the short term it won’t affect the supply chain. Long term as there is already a shortage for driver/couriers in all countries I think as the technology and world evolves the amount of small parcels and goods that are transported by humans will reduce more and more and replaced by AI driven drones.

Written by David Cohen, Recruitment Consultant – Shipping, Logistics & Supply Chain at Alchemy Global Talent Solutions.