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USPS Shortlists 'HorseFly' Octocopter Drone Delivery Service

Posted by timothy on from the why-they-want-9-digit-zip dept.

An anonymous reader writes: The likes of GM and Nissan are keeping unusual company in the bidding war to build and deliver the next generation of delivery vehicles for the U.S. Postal Service. Workhorse Group Inc. have made it to the 16-company shortlist with their octocopter drone delivery system, developed by the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Science. The self-guiding UAV 'HorseFly' has multiple hardware and software redundancy systems and launches from its special host van 'WorkHorse' to get the parcel the final hurdle to the door. The drone can recharge itself wirelessly in two minutes at base, and calculates its own routes from the van to the destination door.

2 of 67 comments (clear)

  1. What a time to be alive... by wbr1 · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Or dead...

    http://www.nydailynews.com/new...

    CAUTION: Please wait until noise has receded before checking your mail.

    --
    Silence is a state of mime.
  2. So about 8' from my front door? by Quarters · · Score: 4, Interesting

    That thing is freaking huge. Each copter arm has to be at least 4' - 5' long. Factor in the roof overhang over my front door, and the landscaping, and the closest this thing could get a package to my doorstep would be about 8' away, but that puts it right into another landscaped area. So, my packages will either be somewhere in my front yard or on my driveway. All of this just so a postal worker doesn't have to get up out of a seat and walk the package all the way to my door?

    PROGRESS!