
Our Robot Sky - joubert
https://medium.com/backchannel/our-robot-sky-4f9281b17233
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iamleppert
This all seems nice in theory to think of it has some utopian future with
robots flying all around. However, the economics of small UAVs carrying cargo
do not make sense. It simply isn't worth the cost and it isn't efficient to
lift small amounts of weight. Otherwise FedEx, UPS would be doing it.

It's more efficient to use a large winged craft that has immense economies of
scale in a hub and spoke distribution architecture, just like FedEx and UPS
do.

Things may change in the future but right now the overhead of UAV flight is
too significant. Also, too complicated. And keeping in mind it's much harder
to control a lightweight craft in 20 mph wind than a large jet.

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skybrian
From the article: "The technology is not disruptive, but supplementary. Cargo
drone routes will never replace road or railway, but they can add choice for
the rapid sharing of precious cargo over mountain ranges, across lakes, and up
rivers."

FedEx and UPS use planes for long distances and trucks for the last few miles
because the airports they need are large and expensive and we have good road
networks. This article is talking about reaching places that don't have decent
roads.

~~~
copsarebastards
This is especially relevant internationally: people in the West often forget
that i.e. China has tons of mountains and much more limited transport
infrastructure.

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powera
In what universe will it be more effective to use "cargo drone routes" than it
is to use rivers?

Also, if this is so miraculous, why do the future images look like poor
Africans living next to a robot building?

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skybrian
"The droneport is intended to save lives and build local economies through
enabling the rapid repetition of flight of super-fast and super-cheap flying
robots carrying precious cargo over mountains, across lakes, and up
_unnavigable_ rivers."

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skybrian
Earlier article by the same author:

[http://www.wired.com/2014/09/cargo-drones-in-
africa/](http://www.wired.com/2014/09/cargo-drones-in-africa/)

"The continent’s shortfall on annual public infrastructure spending is $50
billion and rising. There is no money for tunnels and not enough for bridges
and bypasses, let alone simple road maintenance. Paving secondary roads is
more expensive per kilometer than paving longer arterials and costs have risen
sharply in the last decade, with frequent budget overruns of 100 percent or
more. Economists have estimated that $1 spent on roads in Africa returns $4 in
productivity. How much better value would $1 spent on cargo drone routes be?"

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worik
Once again here we have a European with a "Good Idea" for Africa. I guess
Africans are too stupid to do anything for themselves, eh?

The mobile phone revolution in Africa was African. Western networks did not
believe it would be possible.

Perhaps Europeans could look to their own problems and instead of creating
"solutions" for Africa they could stop bleeding the continent dry.

