Residents in Contra Costa county may soon have the option of having some packages delivered via drone, a San Bruno-based company announced Thursday.
Dive Delivery said it plans to launch a trial service for residents in which a drone could deliver small, lightweight packages of items like face masks, food, medicine/prescriptions, liquor, electronics and other small packages directly to a person’s backyard.
The company said it would first send an empty-handed drone on a test flight to a resident’s house when they sign up for the trial. Once the test flight is completed, the package would then be affixed to the drone and delivered to the person’s backyard.
Dive did not respond to a request for comment about whether people who don’t have backyards or who live in apartment complexes could receive packages via drone delivery.
The delivery system also notifies customers before and after packages are delivered to ensure they are not standing under the drone, according to Dive, a subsidiary of the drone services and consulting company Airzus.
Delivery planning and execution will be handled by the drone flight operations management company Avision and its mobile app.
Locally, the city of Concord has approved multiple permits for delivery robots in recent years. Starship Technologies has provided drone delivery services for DoorDash and Postmates while Marble Robotics’ courier robots have delivered things like groceries and takeout food in downtown Concord.
According to Dive, Avision’s app handles airspace authorization requests with the Federal Aviation Administration. Dive did not respond to a question about how much contact the company has had with local officials in Contra Costa county.
However, a Contra Costa County spokesman said as long as the drones are launched from a private area and don’t touch the ground, it’s likely that they’re not technically under the operating purview of the county, and would not require Dive to get permission to operate.
Contra Costa residents can visit Dive’s website at divedelivery.com to sign up for the delivery service trial.
photo credit: DiveDelivery.com
Should we now worry about being dive bombed? If drones fail, does the rule of ‘finders keepers’ apply?
I have a few suggestions on what we could send Gov. Newsom!
How about we start with some covid-19 patients who are not sick enough to be in the hospital?
“However, a Contra Costa County spokesman said as long as the drones are launched from a private area and don’t touch the ground, it’s likely that they’re not technically under the operating purview of the county, and would not require Dive to get permission to operate.”
Is it just me or is this totally crazy, given the noise and nuisance implications if this gets popular?
No thanks
This is a little over the top for me, no pun intended. If the military wants to drop food and water – fine. And what happens when the “dive delivery” lands in the pool? Does it automatically refund through a waterproof chip?
I’ve seen delivery bots being tested in Concord, but I’ve never seen one actually being used to make a real delivery. The last time I saw StarShip employees with a delivery bot I asked them about it, and they said they were still in testing. It’s been months since I’ve last seen a StarShip employees with a delivery bot on the sidewalks. It could be the case they are still around, and I just haven’t been seeing them.
Any drone large enough to carry a package for delivery is going to be loud. Commercial drones can range from the high-60s to the mid-90 decibels. Once one company starts doing it, then another will start flying drones, and another….
1) Awesome!
2) I can’t wait for the comments from old folks “Back in my day…”
I’m not an “old folk”, but I am opposed to machines that can be as loud as lawnmower flying around. The technology is improving, but we aren’t at the point yet where these things won’t be a noise nuance for both people and wildlife, especially when other companies start competing services.
There’s also the privacy implications. These things could capture a lot of data about people as they make their approach and drop off.
@Rob…Back in my day you would have gotten your butt whipped for being a smartass.
Rob, back in my day that drone would be shot with bb’s or a slingshot, and it still may happen.
@Natalie – you nailed it! The delivery services are a loss leader. The real business will be in surveillance and data sales.
That and driverless cars are a failure.
How do you feel about the problems of
cars with drivers. Has that been a total
success in your opinion.
Not to the stockholders they’re not. Just like Lyft and Uber the actual performance doesn’t matter. All the matters to to slam the IPO and collect the bucks.
It’s going to be fun when one violates my airspace.
If you can’t stand the sound of leaf blowers drones are going to be just as bad.
Assuming only one package per run, doesn’t seem like the most efficient system.
My paintball gun is gonna love the target practice on these…
All you clowns riffing about drones and paint balls, shotguns, etc. better be ready for a trip downtown, courtesy CPD or CHP.
Don’t worry, thanks to Newsome, we’ll be released the next day
Better stay out of the new 4.1 nm radius airspace around CCR.
Also, there was a nice test showing the effectiveness of birdshot, buckshot and anti-drone rounds on youtube.
Not a fan of drones. flying or human variety.
If you are having or are anticipating having a drone problem, this is a pretty cost effective solution: https://www.gunbroker.com/item/866532132
I don’t know where my property rights extend to in the vertical, but I lay claim to whatever I can reach with a 10ga. and a 34″ barrel until a judge tells me otherwise. 🙂
Cool gun from a novelty standpoint. I have a 16 gauge bolt action shotgun. Just for s**ts and giggles, next time you’re in a gun store try to find 16 gauge shells. You might find them, but it will be a small pile of boxes 😃
You’re right Rollo, it is an oddball gauge. I don’t remember ever owning or shooting a 16 ga. If I ever see a cache of it reasonably priced, I’ll let you know.
Next, company to release drones that will follow and record your every move
The paintball gun is the best solution. Blind the optics and that thing will need to land immediately.
So will the cameras be recording and will the police have access to those recordings?
LOL!! I was just going to post that we were missing all the conspiracy theorists that believe government is out to get them, and that the police would be partnering with the companies to spy on us!!!
But no! You came through Strad! I knew you were out there!!
Drones are considered aircraft and you are not allowed to shoot down aircraft.
Not even in the airspace above your property.
More driver jobs lost. Just what we need right now
Can they deliver me a bottle of Black Bush and 1/4 oz. Of Skywalker OG for the weekend?
That would get fewer deliveries by vehicles off the road. Better for the environment too.
Drones are great for photography, searches and reality TV. Today’s commercial drone technology is too expensive for something as mundane as package delivery. Laws affecting unmanned, radio controlled aircraft are becoming tighter each year. This includes hobbyist’s model airplanes and gliders. We are already required to carry an FAA I.D. number in each aircraft and soon may have to carry a transponder like device. Model airplane organizations are fighting these proposals in Washington.
The FAA’s long range plan is to sterilize all airspace to make it safe for unmanned cargo and eventually passenger aircraft.
Who do I call when my delivery is stuck in a tree? LOL!!
A rod & reel with a weight on the end of the line is useful for retrieving a model airplane out of a tree.
Wonder what the bag limit is on drones. Does one need a “drone stamp” to hunt them. Is it three per day, five in possession? Just asking for a friend…
They tried this a few years ago in Southern CA.
Didn’t work out to well…..
Are they going to deliver pot in Concord. It’s a new way to get high.