Posted on 06/04/2013 11:38:28 AM PDT by drewh
Domino’s Pizza has hired a creative agency called T + Biscuits to test the feasibility of octocopter drones that deliver a hot, delicious pizza to your doorstep. Heavily branded as the DomiCopter, the current prototype can deliver two, large pizzas in about ten minutes within a four mile radius of the store. While future versions could hypothetically use GPS coordinates to deliver the pie, the existing model is piloted from the ground by someone experienced in drone flight.
Other names previously batted around for the DomiCopter included the Pepperdroney and the Flyin’ Hawaiian.
The DomiCopter has eight spinning blades and includes the standard thermal insulation bag that’s carried around by Domino’s Pizza delivery drivers. Developed by a company called Aerosight, this type of drone is primarily used for capturing broadcast quality video with cameras like the Red Epic , Canon C300 or Sony PMW F3.
No flying permits are needed to operate the drone up to 126 meters off the ground, only permission of the landowner is required. Other tools that can be used with the drone include on-board GPS, air pressure sensors and an electronic compass.
“If anything, it went quicker than a pizza boy," T + Biscuits founder Tom Hatton said when asked about the feasibility of using the DomiCopter drone. "We were amazed at how easy it was going to be.” Hatton was referencing the time required to navigate roads as well as stop at red lights.
According to Hatton, other names previously batted around for the DomiCopter included the ”Pepperdroney” and the “Flyin’ Hawaiian.”
After proving the concept with the first drone flight, the DomiCopter has been delivered headquarters for further testing. Ideally, the company wants to test increasing the payload capacity in order to carry other items like a two-liter bottle of Coke .
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Pull!
(shotgun reference)
How much do you suppose the average wage of a drone operator would be compared to a traditional driver?
Actually, I can see this sort of thing being used to deliver meals and drinks to tables in restaurants or bars.
I assume you don’t have to tip it?
OMG! I was thinking the SAME thing.
Want a pizza free of charge? Watch for the “DomiCopter” and get to practicing your skeet!
Can you imagine if the pizza retention system on one of these things fails over a major highway? Hilarity ensues!
I was just thinking the other day of a new restaurant concept.
You’d seat yourself at a table with touch screen menus and order your meal.
Then, a robot waiter/waitress/waitron would bring your food from the kitchen.
First Teflon and Space Food Sticks, and now drone delivered pizza. I love the consumer-oriented consequences of big military tech programs.
Coming soon: drone capturing drones. All your pizza are belong to us.
If I can hack the control frequency, I can Iran the drone to my door for free pizza, right?
It’ll be just like college.
Make sure you tip ,it carries missiles
bttt
Not sure, but it will likely depend on relative productivity -- if the drone can deliver twice as many pizzas per hour as a driver, then the total operating cost for a single drone (wage, equipment (depreciated), and maintenance) can be up to twice as much as a driver, though from a practical standpoint, you'd want it to be less than 2x.
That aside, the cool factor alone makes this worth pursuing.
How long before a Pizza Hut drone comes along and shoots it down. Pizza Wars coming to a galaxy near you.
Dont forget Papa Johns and Godfathers. I smell an old style Italian family throwdown...
This is idiotic. Crows or raptors will figure out how to attack the drone and steal the food. LOL
It’s just like The Jetsons!
Why would you have to navigate stoplights with a drone?
Just sayin...
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