When it comes to delivery drones, the government is selling us a pipe dream. Experts explain the real costs

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 04:19:08 +1100

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/when-it-comes-to-delivery-drones-the-government-is-selling-us-a-pipe-dream-experts-explain-the-real-costs-195361>

"In early November, the Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure invited
public comment on proposed Australia-wide “drone delivery guidelines” it has
been quietly developing with industry stakeholders. A slick new website –
https://drones.gov.au/ – boasts of the supposed benefits of delivery drones. It
claims they will create jobs, provide cost-efficiency and be environmentally
sustainable.

The draft guidelines focus on minimal technical considerations concerning
land-use planning (suggesting no special accommodations need to be made for
drones), and safety and noise issues. These issues matter, but they entirely
overlook the stakes of permitting delivery drones to dominate our skies.

Then there’s the question of whether the purported benefits stand up to
scrutiny. Our team at the University of Western Australia’s Minderoo Tech &
Policy Lab has stress-tested the claims made in the department’s guidelines.
This is what you need to know."

Cheers,
       *** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net               Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/                 Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/            Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/               Manager, Serious Cybernetics

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