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Alibaba Begins Drone Delivery Trials In China
BBC News ^ | 02/04/2015 | Leo Kelion

Posted on 02/04/2015 9:37:00 AM PST by goldstategop

China's biggest internet retailer says it has begun testing drone-based deliveries to hundreds of customers.

It says the trial will last three days and be limited to areas within a one-hour flight of its distribution centres in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

The company's blog adds that it believes the technology has the potential to speed up deliveries.

Amazon, Google and parcel service UPS are among other companies carrying out more private trials of such aircraft.

Alibaba is using its drones to deliver orders for a specific type of ginger tea, helping limit the maximum weight of the packages to 340g (12oz).

The Tech in Asia blog, which was one of the first to report the development, said the experiment was being undertaken by Alibaba's Taobao division - an eBay-like marketplace that connects third-party sellers and buyers - and would involve 450 shoppers.

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: alibaba; bbcnews; china; dronedelivery
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Now you can get ginger tea drone delivered in China. Make you very rich man.

1 posted on 02/04/2015 9:37:00 AM PST by goldstategop
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To: goldstategop

Alibaba?

Where are the Forty Thieves?


2 posted on 02/04/2015 9:40:33 AM PST by PapaNew (The grace of God & freedom always win the debate in the forum of ideas over unjust law & government)
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To: goldstategop

Damn, but that is one INGENIOUS isea !


3 posted on 02/04/2015 9:41:00 AM PST by knarf (I say things that are true ... I have no proof ... but, they're true)
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To: PapaNew

Its China’s version of Amazon.

Its the most valuable Chinese company in the world.


4 posted on 02/04/2015 9:41:48 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: goldstategop
TAOBAO is that Amazon type company

I looked it up and came here to post it when I saw YOUR comment

5 posted on 02/04/2015 9:44:31 AM PST by knarf (I say things that are true ... I have no proof ... but, they're true)
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To: knarf

Taobao is more like eBay - an online marketplace.


6 posted on 02/04/2015 9:45:22 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: goldstategop

Flying teabag? Do they dip a couple times and then fly on to the next cup of hot water?


7 posted on 02/04/2015 9:46:02 AM PST by USMCPOP (Father of LCpl. Karl Linn, KIA 1/26/2005 Al Haqlaniyah, Iraq)
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To: goldstategop

Very RICH Forty Thieves...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036591/


8 posted on 02/04/2015 9:46:19 AM PST by PapaNew (The grace of God & freedom always win the debate in the forum of ideas over unjust law & government)
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To: goldstategop
US President Obama....adapting to new trend......


9 posted on 02/04/2015 9:48:20 AM PST by MeshugeMikey ("Never, Never, Never, Give Up," Winston Churchill ><>)
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To: MeshugeMikey

I’ll take a large pepperoni pizza....How long can I expect to wait?


10 posted on 02/04/2015 9:50:32 AM PST by DaveA37
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To: DaveA37

fifteen minutes max!


11 posted on 02/04/2015 9:51:18 AM PST by MeshugeMikey ("Never, Never, Never, Give Up," Winston Churchill ><>)
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To: DaveA37

If its ever realized, you could have pizza delivery in ten minutes.


12 posted on 02/04/2015 9:51:59 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: goldstategop

This is only for novelty sake - to say they can do whatever Amazon can do.

China is absolutely not suited for this - and the Chinese Government will absolutely not allow this to develop unless they have absolute control over it.


13 posted on 02/04/2015 9:53:19 AM PST by PGR88
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To: PGR88

China has a huge free market.

Alibaba is so valuable because its privately owned.


14 posted on 02/04/2015 9:57:45 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: All

This delivery methodology has so much potential for failure...

1.12 gauge Target practice for would be thieves.
2.People stealing/damaging drones at delivery
3.Safety of drone as it lands/takes-off (blades chopping off body members)
4.Bad battery/Failures - packages landing on people’s heads, cars, etc....


15 posted on 02/04/2015 10:01:01 AM PST by Maringa
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To: goldstategop
China has a huge free market.

Yes, of course it does. I'm talking about drone delivery....

16 posted on 02/04/2015 10:01:24 AM PST by PGR88
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To: knarf

Amazon has been working on this alreday, last I read they are hung up in government red tape.


17 posted on 02/04/2015 10:03:03 AM PST by Ghost of SVR4 (So many are so hopelessly dependent on the government that they will fight to protect it.)
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To: goldstategop

ebay / amazon .. they’re all the same to someone that doesn’t use them, but ... OK


18 posted on 02/04/2015 10:15:40 AM PST by knarf (I say things that are true ... I have no proof ... but, they're true)
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To: PapaNew
I've looked for things in the past and have come across alibaba a few times ... they seem to deal mostly in bulk ... you want a fribble bearing ?

They'll sell you lots of millions ... how many lots y'want ?

19 posted on 02/04/2015 10:17:26 AM PST by knarf (I say things that are true ... I have no proof ... but, they're true)
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To: PGR88

Alibaba and other Chinese businesses succeed (exist) because the ChiComm government allows it (controls it and takes a big cut of the profits.) It is amazing what you can do when the government plows the way for you.
The counterpoint is what is happening here of how even the simplest business plan can’t survive government’s efforts to stomp on it.


20 posted on 02/04/2015 10:17:32 AM PST by anymouse (God didn't write this sitcom we call life, he's just the critic.)
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