Last year, I recall a story circulating  about Amazon trialling delivery by drone. I think  it was some kind of hoax because it seemed so impractical, but maybe there is potential for it after all.

Chinese company, JD, are trialling a drone delivery service outside Suqian City in East China’s Jiangsu province.  The service currently runs between central depots and those in more rural areas. The reason it becomes realistic is that the final leg of the journey is still run by actual people. According to the company, this final human leg is necessary to mitigate the potential danger of multiple, individual flight paths.

The drones can carry up to 33 pounds in weight and travel up to 12 miles at speeds of up to 34 mph. The machines can also function in moderate rain and wind. A drone can make the journey significantly faster than a delivery van, trundling through winding roads.

So could drone deliveries actually work in the UK? Well in rural areas, and if you exclude the possibility of delivering direct to the door from a drone, I see no reason why not. Perhaps something to watch.