Ground robots: better than unmanned aerial vehicle (uav) automation shipping method?

With the emergence of delivery robot based on the ground, small unmanned robots team may soon will be on the road can be seen everywhere. Several of Skype co-founder of setting up new company Starship Technologies in London is preparing to test their unmanned robot delivery. According to the developers, the robot has not yet been named volume is not large, safe, practical and environmental protection.

Tarship Technologies CEO Artie hearn pulled (Ahti Heinla) said, "after the online orders, there will be a robot delivery goods to you, not like traditional let Courier door-to-door delivery is knocking at the door."

Mode of operation

The robot can carry two shopping bags, can be in 5 to 30 minutes from the specified distribution center or complete local distribution retail locations. Hearn pulled, explains that the robot is not aimed at a long order, but for the delivery of the last kilometer.

, "he said." as consumers, think it's convenient, would you can choose by smartphone robots distribution. Later, robots will be in our distribution center to load your package, and then drive to your home. The whole process only about 20 minutes. That is to say, you can choose 10 minutes arrived, not served such as half a day or during the day time window."

Robot in distribution way, customers can real-time tracking on a smartphone. It got to the delivery location, customer needs through its smartphones unlock robot safety class to get the parcel.

Starship Technologies is near Greenwich in London on a trial basis, its robots make some people feel confused, but the way people are fundamental to this way of distribution.

"I'm impressed with it, its volume is small, looks very safe, have the feeling of futurism. I think this idea is very clever." A passerby said, "I think it will be delivery in the future. In the coming decades, you will often see this on the ground or the air delivery of the machine."

Starship Technologies, technology use "off-the-shelf" components. The robot is light weight, low cost, so the company can reduces the cost of each distribution for 10 to 15 times.

These robots are equipped with navigation and obstacle avoidance software delivery, according to the Starship Technologies, said 99% of the time they are automated driving. However, they are also influenced by artificial pilot monitoring, the latter can at any time in their operations to ensure their safety.

How to prevent the theft

They are built-in security features, which can alleviate the people to the concerns of the ordered goods are stolen. According to hearn pulled, the robot's security features can increase the risk of potential thieves steal.

He explained, "you might think someone would want to steal something from the robot, but in fact, the difficulty of the theft is far more than you think. First of all, the parcel is locked. So it is not easy to invade the robot, especially if you don't have special tool. Most of the street thug no specialized tools. In addition, the robot is equipped with 9 has been connected to the camera. It comes with the GPS function. Pilot can also talk to people around robots, robot built-in speakers and microphone. So the thief is not so easy to get."

Compared with the advantage of unmanned aerial vehicle (uav)

At present, many famous company are in research and development automation delivery service, including Google, wal-mart and amazon. Amazon delivery unmanned aerial vehicle (uav) is expected in the near future, the company recently released a video of the unmanned aerial vehicle (uav) prototype was showed. However, Starship Technologies, points out that problems great "socially accepted" unmanned aerial vehicle (uav), and the ground robot does not.

Hearn said, "use robots safer than the uav has to be on the ground. People actually don't like low-flying unmanned aerial vehicle (uav), especially they fly over their garden, did a lot of noise. If it is for you to ship, you may think doesn't matter, but if it is delivered to others, people estimate will not be pleased. People don't want to see the children playing in the garden with drones, disturb. Flying robots huge social accept problems. While the ground robots don't have much concern in this regard, they are relatively safe, looks more lovely."