[thedougd]

There are food delivery drones near me. Two recent data points:

1) They’re expanding the delivery territory.

2) They’re still using pilots with line of sight to make the delivery.

I think that’s odd. Maybe someone is moving the goalposts, or maybe there’s not a clear roadmap to broad approval.

[tdeck]

When you say "line of sight" do you mean via camera, or that someone literally has to drive out and watch the drone land? The latter seems to not make much sense but that's what I think of when I read the phrase.

[thedougd]

Someone drives out and watches the drone land. If you order drinks, they bring them in the car.

[JohnFen]

Which seems to eliminate all of the benefits of drone delivery. If someone is driving out anyway, they could just deliver the stuff directly.

[thedougd]

Well of course. I assume it's to prove the concept safe to gain approval to fly without a person present. But here we are, no such approval, and they're expanding territory. Why? To be challenged by more diversity in delivery situations? It doesn't seem like they have a clear path to success.