The prospect of a drone being able to make deliveries to your home can certainly be exciting. But, is it practical? Although the technology to enable this concept is existent, there are several issues that need to be ironed out to make this idea a reality. The supporters of this technology have suggested that unmanned drones can deliver food, medications, drinks, and other light weight items to your home. One of the main problems with most drones is their inability to carry items exceeding 3 lbs. in weight. This means that they can’t carry anything with substantial mass, limiting their delivery options.

Another shortcoming of drones for many people is the annoying noise they make. In smaller neighborhoods, the noise produced by drones could be unbearable. In cities, the drones would take the existing noise pollution a notch higher, making it even more annoying to both people and wildlife. While another issue regards maintenance fees. Similar to other machines, drones require regular servicing and maintenance. If drones were to be used for deliveries, there would have to be a consensus between the merchant and consumers over who will pay for the operational cost. Otherwise, the delivery charges could soar to a point that it becomes uneconomical to use such a service.

Given that they fly at high speeds, they will definitely have to get insurance to cover any damages that could occur. So, adding the additional cargo weight, speed of flight, and the fact that theses are flown unmanned, accidents are a real possibility.

Just like airplanes, drones need clear weather conditions to operate. In the event that the conditions are windy or rainy, it would be impossible for a drone to make deliveries. Furthermore, the flight range of a drone is still limited to short distances, regardless of the weather. This is mainly due to low battery capacity found in most drones.

There is also the issue of no-fly-zones. Drones are barred from flying over areas used by standard airplanes to avoid accidents. In addition, they may also be banned from flying over public events or even private properties for security and privacy concerns. This could create a major disruption, especially if you heavily rely on drones to make deliveries. Regardless of how progressive an idea may appear, it needs thorough testing before it is implemented. For now, drone deliveries are likely to work for emergency services and the military because they are excused from the majority of the restrictions imposed on drone flights. You, on the other hand, may have to wait a couple more years for drone deliveries until the technology increases that will help solve the issues stated above.