[trevithick]

I hope the paper and cardboard construction they mention is feasible for commercial use. Otherwise I'm picturing a future where drone deliveries are commonplace and these plastic parachutes litter our streets and waterways.

[hermitcrab]

I always assumed that drone delivery was just a publicity stunt (in urban areas anyway). I am hoping that it stays that way. I am really not convinced that a sky full of buzzing drones delivering people's toothpaste and takeaways is a great idea.

[icetank]

But it would probably makes economic sense. A big cost of delivery is the personal that actually does the delivery. It might not be viable for all packages but probably for the premium delivery that promises sub 1 hour delivery.

[hermitcrab]

>But it would probably makes economic sense.

Only if you don't price in all the externalities: loss of delivery jobs, environmental cost of the drones, cost of drones hitting people, cars, buildings and powerlines etc.

[maxerickson]

Replacing jobs with better or lower cost alternatives is not an externality.

Like if you switch from a low quality butcher to a higher quality butcher, you are not imposing a cost on the lower quality butcher.

You can not like it as a consequence of course, whether it is an externality or not.

[hermitcrab]

>Replacing jobs with better or lower cost alternatives is not an externality.

Replacing 3 delivery guys with 1 drone maintenance guy imposes a cost on society if those delivery guys can't then find work.

[pixl97]

Fine, then we stop making heavy equipment and dig ditches with spoons.

[wkjagt]

I think this would actually make me buy less stuff. Like, I can see the neighbors think, oh look, wkjagt getting junk from Amazon AGAIN.

[HPsquared]

It'll be like living in a late-game Factorio base.

[HPsquared]

Biopolymer or paper, hopefully.