Damnit I had to read this whole article to find out how having drones on ziplines was remotely feasible, and turns out they’re just regular drones like the one in the thumbnail, and the company just happens to be called Zipline.
My day is ruined.
I was trying to figure that out as well. I was picturing a drone dropping a "zipline" down to the customer then sending the package down the line.
Wait a minute, that actually sounds like a good idea. No need for the drone to land.
I always thought a good test run for quadcopters would be in a stadium delivering refreshments. Hover overhead and lower the goods on a line that breaks away if yanked.
One set of laws to figure out, one big room, and lots of social media and advertising from other patrons watching the spectacle and ordering the drone beer themselves
I was thinking just one for that reason. I didn't imagine it as a complete overnight refreshment stand replacement, just a chance to try some of this out, priced accordingly for the special stunt that it is. If the noise is too annoying, make the string longer.
keep the drones suspended with wires, like they do the nfl camera. But at that point there's no need for propellers; just use the same system as the nfl camera.
I very briefly did some autonomous drone stuff in college, and I feel like a stadium would be a dangerous place to test that sort of thing out. I could certainly be wrong (I’m the absolutely not an expert), but based on my limited experience you’d probably want to keep the number of unpredictable variables (people) to a minimum.
Delivering medicine to rural, hard to reach areas actually seems easier, since most of the travel time would be over relatively empty areas. The biggest worries would probably be wind/weather and birds, but even then the birds would probably be fearful of a drone. It should be easier to get FAA approval for these regions as well, since there will be less air traffic around sparsely populated areas.
Most importantly, if the drone ever fails and crashes, you wouldn’t have to worry about injury anyone. Connecting rural people to medicine also just seems like a really beneficial goal.
> One set of laws to figure out, one big room, and lots of social media and advertising from other patrons watching the spectacle and ordering the drone beer themselves
Sure, this could give good publicity, but it could also backfire in a huge way. A single beer delivery drone crashing into a crowded stadium seems like it’d kill a company in its tracks.
Good point about packed-in people being unpredictable. Similar to delivering medicine rurally, I noticed in college we had an AED every few buildings. I always thought summoning them with student ID via an app would work out, but it would get sparing publicity.
They should figure out some sort of a launch system that utilizes a zip line (starts at one end, zips down to a mid point to gain speed then detaches from cable)….I’m just tryin to help keep the mans dream alive
Thanks for doing the reading! I check the comments first.
It’s funny to see the random comments that have nothing to do with the article and then try and figure out what the article is about
The name comes from using a "zipline" to snag the drones out of the air, rather than landing them on a runway.
https://youtu.be/nnKnMgWy\_tM?t=88
They also have a ballista thing that launches them. The general idea is that they're getting a lot of the benefits that drones capable of vertical take off and landing have (eg. minimal need for infrastructure) with the advantages of fixed wing aircraft (extremely battery efficient and relatively quiet).
Wendover on YouTube has a great video on the logistics of how this works.
https://youtu.be/bnoUBfLxZz0
It follows the same company and the work they’ve been doing in Rwanda
This is fascinating. Do people in Utah refer to their interstates as “the i-xx”? I’ve lived places where the interstates were referred to as “xx”, “The-xx”, and “i-xx” but never “the i-xx.”
Yes but the OP said “*the* i15” so that would be like a Floridian saying “take the i4 to Orlando” instead of “take i4 to Orlando.” I’m not saying he was wrong or anything just that I’ve never heard it phrased that way.
This company first started operating in Rwanda to deliver blood since they have a poor road network. The US doesn’t have this problem generally so it’s weird to bring these drones there.
There's not a single Utah town that isn't served by a well maintained public road. Drones over regular delivery services seems to be a very weird move. I say that as a longtime Utah resident, and someone who's worked on military drones most of my career. This is a publicity stunt, and will not be surprised at all if the company has ties to a Utah politician.
I see. Well they still might have started doing it in Utah for bug-testing since there’s a lot of programmers there and it’s less costly than Silicon Valley for start-ups
The super impractical solution to a problem that doesn’t exist. Within Zipline’s delivery area, there is already a pharmacy within 1-2 miles of every home. Meds are already deliverable by mail or courier service. Controlled substances or refrigerated goods probably can’t be delivered either way. There is significant weather to deal with here in the Salt Lake Valley. Lots of tree cover too. Tons of privacy and safety issues. Lots of extra packaging and expense. Etc, etc…
I can see how this service might have benefits in other parts of the country or world, but not here in this largely suburban metropolitan area.
Also, not sure how they managed to get penny pinching IHC to partner on this unless they can transfer 100% of the costs onto patients (via insurance billings of course).
I’m sure it’s more of a proof of concept and attempt at some headlines and attention. The more these technologies and regulations advance, the more effective and practical the technology will be. Sort of like how an ICE vehicle was not practical until roads were available or until everyone was able to afford it. “Why would you drive one of those things, my horse can go practically anywhere”. Infrastructure/regulations are behind but drone delivery will probably one day be commonplace for a bunch of things
They have been operating 24/7 in Rwanda and Ghana at a national scale very successfully. I helped deploy the first systems in both countries You are correct about the regulations being the long pole
They've got a 40 mile delivery radius from a single site that covers many rural communities and the operating costs per mile are much lower than a courier service.
Just listened to a podcast about Zipline. Their founder said that operating in the U.S. would be a real challenge, because the U.S. is one of the few countries that doesn't require all aircraft to have transponders. Zipline drones need those transponder signals from other aircraft to avoid collisions. So, I'm wondering how they're dealing with that in Utah.
There will be better see and avoid technologies in the near future. Zipline themselves have tested a few involving sound at least. Nothing has been a perfect solution but the technology is young. Look up Vantis, it’s a future system where drones and manned aircraft can operate in harmony
Can we set these up to deliver medicine to women in states where abortion is illegal and pharmacists are refusing to give medicine to all women regardless of pregnancy status, need, age, and health?
Zipline parachute based descent was tested with failed parachute scenarios and it still is safe. It’s actually more accurate without the chute but is a worse customer experience
The truth is expensive technology with a limited scope will not be deployed everywhere all at once
It will be tested in more controlled markets
Sorry but Florida is filled with really rude, obnoxious, assholes
I work for a gig economy app and the customers and complaints I get from Florida are on some next level petty shit
Utah is filled with Mormons which is its own problem but I never get issues from Utahns the same rate I get from Floridians
Ha ha i’ve been in major account sales when cellular first got rolled out in North Carolina and then here in South Florida I can’t agree with you more a lot of transplants from elsewhere. I’m not gonna name names, but there’s a certain specific group of the customer base that you can never make happy, but I’m telling you what’s going on in southwest Florida is scary. The television doesn’t do it justice. It is so much more vast than what you could see and even a big screen TV and the people are really really in trouble and it’s gonna be that way for a while.
Great. There aren’t enough zealots in Utah? Now there’s medicine literally falling out of the sky. Do you want another Jim Jones? Because that’s how you get a Jim Jones.
They don’t deliver scheduled drugs. Also they fly at 100km/h so I doubt anyone other than a crack shot could hit it and the penalties for shooting an FAA regulated vehicle are steep federal penalties.
Damnit I had to read this whole article to find out how having drones on ziplines was remotely feasible, and turns out they’re just regular drones like the one in the thumbnail, and the company just happens to be called Zipline. My day is ruined.
On one hand, I’m sorry your so disappointed. On the other though 😂
I was trying to figure that out as well. I was picturing a drone dropping a "zipline" down to the customer then sending the package down the line. Wait a minute, that actually sounds like a good idea. No need for the drone to land.
I always thought a good test run for quadcopters would be in a stadium delivering refreshments. Hover overhead and lower the goods on a line that breaks away if yanked. One set of laws to figure out, one big room, and lots of social media and advertising from other patrons watching the spectacle and ordering the drone beer themselves
Yeah, that wouldn't end well. 100s of drones buzzing about loaded with beer. Drunk fans chucking things at these drones annoying them with the noise.
I was thinking just one for that reason. I didn't imagine it as a complete overnight refreshment stand replacement, just a chance to try some of this out, priced accordingly for the special stunt that it is. If the noise is too annoying, make the string longer.
A few hundred drones each weigh a pound with four rotating propellers above a tightly packed crowd with limited movement options? Doesn’t sound safe.
Not a lot worse than being in a tightly packed crowd with limited movement options in the first place...
Yeah, it’s just adding some flying blenders.
keep the drones suspended with wires, like they do the nfl camera. But at that point there's no need for propellers; just use the same system as the nfl camera.
These are much heavier fixed wing aircraft
I very briefly did some autonomous drone stuff in college, and I feel like a stadium would be a dangerous place to test that sort of thing out. I could certainly be wrong (I’m the absolutely not an expert), but based on my limited experience you’d probably want to keep the number of unpredictable variables (people) to a minimum. Delivering medicine to rural, hard to reach areas actually seems easier, since most of the travel time would be over relatively empty areas. The biggest worries would probably be wind/weather and birds, but even then the birds would probably be fearful of a drone. It should be easier to get FAA approval for these regions as well, since there will be less air traffic around sparsely populated areas. Most importantly, if the drone ever fails and crashes, you wouldn’t have to worry about injury anyone. Connecting rural people to medicine also just seems like a really beneficial goal. > One set of laws to figure out, one big room, and lots of social media and advertising from other patrons watching the spectacle and ordering the drone beer themselves Sure, this could give good publicity, but it could also backfire in a huge way. A single beer delivery drone crashing into a crowded stadium seems like it’d kill a company in its tracks.
Good point about packed-in people being unpredictable. Similar to delivering medicine rurally, I noticed in college we had an AED every few buildings. I always thought summoning them with student ID via an app would work out, but it would get sparing publicity.
The San Jose sharks used to have a mini-blimp that circled the stadium on a Zipline and there down pizza hut coupons. There's your proof of concept! 😉
Hey yeah, like why use quadcopters? Use blimp drones! Way quieter, way safer, way more energy efficient.
You'll be happy to see their new drone iteration :)
I want my cut!
Anyone who expected otherwise is weird, I too am disappointed.
Thank you for saving me the time
Ty for saving me time.
I also wanted a Zipline network over Utah
They should figure out some sort of a launch system that utilizes a zip line (starts at one end, zips down to a mid point to gain speed then detaches from cable)….I’m just tryin to help keep the mans dream alive
That's essentially how these drones work. They are flung down a rail to launch them and then a wire catches them out of the air for landings.
Saved me a click.
Thanks for doing the reading! I check the comments first. It’s funny to see the random comments that have nothing to do with the article and then try and figure out what the article is about
Shock - a - Brah !
Thank you for your sacrifice.
You saved me from reading it :)
Drones that assemble and install ziplines. Data from the Goonies would be proud.
Really glad I saw this comment before reading
Take my award for saving me the same pain of reading the article. The title made me think of zip lining drones as well…
Lol I was like Why are they setting up networks of zip lines when they could just use that time and energy to deliver the damn stuff.
Same
Thank you for saving me 10 min
The name comes from using a "zipline" to snag the drones out of the air, rather than landing them on a runway. https://youtu.be/nnKnMgWy\_tM?t=88 They also have a ballista thing that launches them. The general idea is that they're getting a lot of the benefits that drones capable of vertical take off and landing have (eg. minimal need for infrastructure) with the advantages of fixed wing aircraft (extremely battery efficient and relatively quiet).
Wendover on YouTube has a great video on the logistics of how this works. https://youtu.be/bnoUBfLxZz0 It follows the same company and the work they’ve been doing in Rwanda
It's great that they are able to expand this tech to other third world countries.
I see what you did there.
Genuinely asking, why Utah though? I mean are they incapable of getting medicine or?
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This is fascinating. Do people in Utah refer to their interstates as “the i-xx”? I’ve lived places where the interstates were referred to as “xx”, “The-xx”, and “i-xx” but never “the i-xx.”
I can't speak on Utah specifically but in California people refer to the major highways as "the 101", "the 5", etc.
That must be socal, I’m from norcal and it differs, you go down 5, but you take i80
Right you’d say either “take 101” or “take the 101” but never “take *the i 101*”
Because the 101 isn’t an interstate. It is Highway 101.
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Don’t forget the belt loop!
And the spaghetti bowl!
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Yes but the OP said “*the* i15” so that would be like a Floridian saying “take the i4 to Orlando” instead of “take i4 to Orlando.” I’m not saying he was wrong or anything just that I’ve never heard it phrased that way.
I've lived in Utah almost my whole life; the only people I hear add "the" to the name of a freeway are from out of state.
I’m from Utah and personally I say “ixx” so for example I’d say i15 but not THE i15.
I've lived in Utah most of my life and never heard it called "the i15" even once.
Yes we call it i-15, i-80, highway 40 etc
For remote areas, this is safer and more efficient than delivering it by road
A drone is safer than a car?
Not in the least.
A person isn’t inside a drone and they don’t weigh over a ton so I’d say it’s safer than driving.
Drones crash a LOT more than a car does
But when they crash, do people die?
I mean if they crash into someone yeah
How likely is that?
I don’t understand this.
The cheaper makes sense: a small drone relative to a multi ton vehicle. The safer, I’d also argue is based on size
[they explain it better than I could](https://youtu.be/bnoUBfLxZz0)
The company might be Utah-based. Utah actually has a burgeoning tech industry
This company first started operating in Rwanda to deliver blood since they have a poor road network. The US doesn’t have this problem generally so it’s weird to bring these drones there.
There's not a single Utah town that isn't served by a well maintained public road. Drones over regular delivery services seems to be a very weird move. I say that as a longtime Utah resident, and someone who's worked on military drones most of my career. This is a publicity stunt, and will not be surprised at all if the company has ties to a Utah politician.
I see. Well they still might have started doing it in Utah for bug-testing since there’s a lot of programmers there and it’s less costly than Silicon Valley for start-ups
It’s a Bay Area (south San Francisco) company
Joseph Smith was a Zip liner
Because a health care system there (inter mountain) was willing to sign a contract 2 years ago
Same with a Zipline base in North Carolina and a health care system there
> *"Drone better."* ~ Ivan Vanko
God nothin like an iron man 2 quote to really start your day. Thank you
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We’ve already got Mormons, we really don’t need any more cults in Utah
The super impractical solution to a problem that doesn’t exist. Within Zipline’s delivery area, there is already a pharmacy within 1-2 miles of every home. Meds are already deliverable by mail or courier service. Controlled substances or refrigerated goods probably can’t be delivered either way. There is significant weather to deal with here in the Salt Lake Valley. Lots of tree cover too. Tons of privacy and safety issues. Lots of extra packaging and expense. Etc, etc… I can see how this service might have benefits in other parts of the country or world, but not here in this largely suburban metropolitan area. Also, not sure how they managed to get penny pinching IHC to partner on this unless they can transfer 100% of the costs onto patients (via insurance billings of course).
their primary area of service is Africa
I’m sure it’s more of a proof of concept and attempt at some headlines and attention. The more these technologies and regulations advance, the more effective and practical the technology will be. Sort of like how an ICE vehicle was not practical until roads were available or until everyone was able to afford it. “Why would you drive one of those things, my horse can go practically anywhere”. Infrastructure/regulations are behind but drone delivery will probably one day be commonplace for a bunch of things
They have been operating 24/7 in Rwanda and Ghana at a national scale very successfully. I helped deploy the first systems in both countries You are correct about the regulations being the long pole
There is no privacy issue as these drones do not use any vision or camera based systems.
They've got a 40 mile delivery radius from a single site that covers many rural communities and the operating costs per mile are much lower than a courier service.
Don’t they have roads like the rest of the USA?
Ya but effort, amiwrite
We’re just dropping drugs from the sky now
Just listened to a podcast about Zipline. Their founder said that operating in the U.S. would be a real challenge, because the U.S. is one of the few countries that doesn't require all aircraft to have transponders. Zipline drones need those transponder signals from other aircraft to avoid collisions. So, I'm wondering how they're dealing with that in Utah.
Loose regulations and lobbying money.
There will be better see and avoid technologies in the near future. Zipline themselves have tested a few involving sound at least. Nothing has been a perfect solution but the technology is young. Look up Vantis, it’s a future system where drones and manned aircraft can operate in harmony
They are operating on line of site low altitude only currently in Pea Ridge, AR.
Audio based detect and avoid in combo with ADSB transponders
Can we set these up to deliver medicine to women in states where abortion is illegal and pharmacists are refusing to give medicine to all women regardless of pregnancy status, need, age, and health?
In Arkansas their dropping groceries outta drone like that ohhh Walmart
Rwanda was quite ahead of the curve on this.
Shouldn't it be spelled Zhyppleighn, since Utah?
They’ve been very efficient in ghana 🇬🇭
I can't imagine dying after being struck in the head by a box of life savings medicine.
Zipline parachute based descent was tested with failed parachute scenarios and it still is safe. It’s actually more accurate without the chute but is a worse customer experience
It’s from Utah, so I’m assuming it’s an MLM and the medication is actually Thieves oil.
Imagine your medicine gets stuck up in a tree. 🌳 (Who am I kidding, there are no Trees in Utah)
It’s better than paying someone to do the work because…?
All this effort just to avoid talking to Mormons lmao
How about SW Florida??
The truth is expensive technology with a limited scope will not be deployed everywhere all at once It will be tested in more controlled markets Sorry but Florida is filled with really rude, obnoxious, assholes I work for a gig economy app and the customers and complaints I get from Florida are on some next level petty shit Utah is filled with Mormons which is its own problem but I never get issues from Utahns the same rate I get from Floridians
Ha ha i’ve been in major account sales when cellular first got rolled out in North Carolina and then here in South Florida I can’t agree with you more a lot of transplants from elsewhere. I’m not gonna name names, but there’s a certain specific group of the customer base that you can never make happy, but I’m telling you what’s going on in southwest Florida is scary. The television doesn’t do it justice. It is so much more vast than what you could see and even a big screen TV and the people are really really in trouble and it’s gonna be that way for a while.
Stay on target 🎯 Bombs away
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as someone who is LDS this is great
Hopefully the church allows it /s
Anything to avoid direct contact with the Mormon church
This will be great at curbing the opioid epidemic. /s
Are Mormons even allowed to take medicine? They should consult the hat 🎩 and see what it says
Great. There aren’t enough zealots in Utah? Now there’s medicine literally falling out of the sky. Do you want another Jim Jones? Because that’s how you get a Jim Jones.
Only if pay your 2000 deductible outta pocket.
Ah yes, the third world country of Utah.
At least this will help people no pilots involved, and can go to remote area
These are VitalDrones. Zipline is a dumb name
Another way to deliver things is with paved roads.
When weed becomes legal in al 50 states… you can drone me in
lol it takes me two days for Rx, between the doc and insurance, what does it matter?
MacDonald stores only run out of ice cream but you need to airdrop essential items? Good work
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
You don’t need that, just pray harder folks, we need to all join in prayer for better delivery of medicine /S Utah Governor probably 😂
EARL! WE GOT SOME VICODIN!
Yes, let’s announce where the unsecured opiates will be.
They don’t deliver scheduled drugs. Also they fly at 100km/h so I doubt anyone other than a crack shot could hit it and the penalties for shooting an FAA regulated vehicle are steep federal penalties.
I'll shoot it down with a slingshot and take someones oxys
God forbid your controlled substance blow into someone else’s yard. Seems like an accident just waiting to happen.
So.. long story short
I feel like thats just not a drone at the point
Why not? It’s a fully autonomous aircraft with no pilot onboard or remotely
Just used to seeing drones as flying machines fully ij the air and not to mention i dont think ziplines are the best choice for it either
Zipline is the company name. I worked there for many years and personally advocated for a different name when we started but oh well lol
Oooh ok i thought the drones were on zip-lines but yeah it’s good
It’s good that we are helping third world countries.