Amazon parachute delivery patent granted

Tech giant Amazon has recently been granted a patent that could get the online retailer one step closer to automatically delivering packages and post via drones or larger unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The patent, originally filed in 2015, describes a system that works by placing a parachute inside the label of a package, allowing the package to be dropped by a UAV and land safely at its destination without damage.

Possible developments of the technology are also mentioned including installing shock absorbers and guidance controls into the parachute system for greater security and accuracy. Such a system would no doubt require significant testing and refinement, and may not yet be economically viable, but could well be the start of a new generation of delivery technology.

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Richard Jones, Business Relationship Manager for ip21 Ltd.