UPS testing unmanned cargo: Amazon and grab the cake did not discuss-UPS, drones, Amazon-IT information
In May, UPS announced that medical supply distribution business companies and unmanned Zipline collaboration plan freight speed is 20 times by land of the unmanned, with 11 million people of Rwanda airlift medical supplies. In this process, the robot doctor in a very short period of time, and vaccines delivered to the blood transfusion Center. Recently, UPS and another unmanned aerial vehicle manufacturing company start-ups CyPhy Works cooperation seems to be really strong to enter the unmanned transport sector.
On Thursday, the express in order to test unmanned feasibility CyPhy PARC (three miles during the eight-minute flight) from Beverly, Massachusetts flew to Children's Island, this is the United States transportation company led the first unmanned cargo pilot. In this simulated scenario, their drone will be an asthma inhaler was successfully sent to a child's hand on the island , this is an ordinary car can't do.
UPS's global engineering and sustainable development Senior Vice President Mark Wallace said: "we want drone cargo to the benefit of consumers. "CyPhy Works, Chief Technology Officer and founder Helen Greiner said in an interview with Reuters:" in the drug case of lack, unmanned aerial vehicles with the highest efficiency to send supplies to remote areas and poor road conditions. ”
Meanwhile, Greiner also believe UPS unmanned cargo pilot CyPhy Works can be collected much valuable engineering and cost information. Next, they will continue close cooperation with UPS, try to use unmanned cargo to UPS shipping network to achieve greater value added.
However, CyPhy Works do not believe that in a short period, unmanned cargo can play an important role in the process of replacing the existing freight trucks, bikes and small vehicles and cargo ships. "Unmanned aerial vehicles will not replace all of the existing shipping methods, in remote areas as well as the situation on the ground, but complex areas, if users are eager to receive the material, the drone is still great advantage, after all, relatively fast. "Greiner said.
Even in Thursday's test, theUPS and CyPhy Works together to achieve great success , but their big boss United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is not so easily unmanned cargo development into a fully fledged commercial system. You know, as of last month, FAA prohibits drone flying above the crowd and the new rules during the flight, unmanned aircraft can't fly out of sight of the hand, this let them unmanned commercial cargo plans were completely dashed.
A policy, there are countermeasures. Mark Wallace said UPS hopes to convince the FAA and let them approve unmanned cargo pilot, and eventual emergency of unmanned cargo becomes part of the UPS service.
Even in last week's trial, UPS demonstrated strong competitiveness, but as the world's e-commerce giant Amazon table long ago determined they wanted in 2017 as the full opening drone cargo service, in the hands of express delivery of goods to buyer within 30 minutes, this mode of transport greener. Earlier, Amazon has been in United Kingdom Cambridgeshire began unmanned cargo tests, they hope the unmanned aerial vehicles eventually will fly at an altitude of 4,000 feet in the air, carrying top weight of five pounds of cargo.
UPS Tiger, Amazon, after all, older drivers, who can take the lead in Rob unmanned cargo under the big cake, really it's hard to say.
UPS试水无人机货运：和亚马逊抢蛋糕没商量 - UPS,无人机,亚马逊 - IT资讯
今年五月，UPS宣布和无人机医疗物资配送创业公司Zipline展开合作，计划用货运速度是陆运20倍的无人机，在拥有一千一百万人口的卢旺达空运医疗用品。在这个过程中，机器人医生能够在极短的时间内，将血液和疫苗快递到输液中心。而近日，UPS和另一家初创无人机制造公司CyPhy Works合作，似乎真的要强势进军无人机货运界了。
上周四，为了测验无人机快运的可行性，CyPhy的PARC（它在八分钟之内飞行三英里）从马萨诸塞州的Beverly飞到了Children's Island，这是美国货运公司主导的第一次无人机货运试验。在这个模拟的场景中，他们的无人机将一个哮喘吸入器顺利送到了岛上一个孩子手里，这是普通汽车无法做到的。
UPS的全球工程与可持续发展高级副总裁Mark Wallace说：“我们想让无人机货运造福广大消费者。”而CyPhy Works的首席技术官和创始人Helen Greiner在接受路透社采访时也表示：“在药物急缺的情况下，无人机能够以最高的效率将物资送到偏远地区以及路况恶劣之地。”
同时，Greiner还认为UPS的无人机货运试验让CyPhy Works可以收集到许多宝贵的工程学以及成本相关信息。接下来，她们会继续和UPS紧密合作，尝试用无人机货运使UPS运输网络实现更大的增值。
但是，CyPhy Works并不认为在短时间内，无人机货运可以代替目前在货运过程中扮演重要角色的货车、自行车、小型机动车和货船。“无人机不会代替现有的所有货运方式，但是在偏远地区以及地面情况复杂的地区，如果用户非常急迫地想收到物资，那无人机还是有其过人优势的，毕竟比较快嘛。”Greiner说道。
即使在上周四的试验中，UPS和CyPhy Works联手取得了极大的成功，但他们的大boss美国联邦航空管理局（FAA）是不会那么轻易地让无人机货运发展成一个完全成熟的商业体系的。要知道，截止上个月，FAA禁止无人机在人群上方飞行，而新增的规则要求在飞行的过程中，无人机不能离开飞手的视线范围，这一点就让他们无人机商业货运大计彻底落空了。
上有政策，下有对策。Mark Wallace说UPS方面希望能够说服FAA，让他们批准无人机货运试验，并最终将紧急情况下的无人机货运变成UPS服务的一部分。
即便在上周的试验中，UPS表现出了极强的竞争力，但是作为全球电商巨头，亚马逊早就表了决心，他们希望在2017年全面开启无人机货运服务，在三十分钟内将货物快递到买家手里，这样的运输方式更加绿色环保。早前，亚马逊已经在英国的剑桥郡开始了无人机货运测试，他们希望无人机最终能够自由翱翔在海拔四千英尺的空中，运载最高重量达五磅的货物。
UPS初生牛犊不怕虎，但亚马逊毕竟老司机，到底谁能率先抢下无人机货运这块大蛋糕，真的很难说。