zookal
Latest
Drones carrying textbooks may populate the Australian sky in the not-so-distant future, US up next
The image of drone traffic clouding the skies is still an alarming one considering the use of unmanned aerial vehicles in military operations, but it may not be an alien one in the not-so-distant future. Australian startup Flirtey is pairing drone delivery with Zookal's book sale service to -- government approval pending -- deliver textbooks via UAV. According to AU newspaper The Age, deliveries via Flirtey can be tracked over users' Android phones while en route. Of course, Flirtey and co. can't just take to the sky for commercial sales without Australian approval first; Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority still has to rule on an application from the startup. We imagine it'll mostly be questions about how Flirtey plans to handle bundles of books falling from the sky onto unknowing pedestrians. Following that approval, Flirtey's hoping to bring the project to the US -- what we'd call a much pricklier process, especially given the aforementioned military use for drones (specifically by US forces). To see the company's drones in action, head below the break for a video. Now if you'll excuse us, we'll be working out plans for weaponized textbooks.
