It has been almost a year now, come October, since Amazon had unscheduled landing events in Tolleson. Undoubtedly, someone is going to get more than just a probing from the NTSB. No injuries were reported at the time, but it appears that someone in the yard may have allegedly inhaled some of the fumes from the ensuing fire from the encounters with the careless and insensitive crane.
The SAA system must have been having an off day, as apparently it did not work as designed in this instance. That notion was corroborated by the second drone encountering the crane minutes later. We still don't know if the much-lauded contingent landing kicked in here or while wacko-in' the wire outside of Waco, so there is some doubt about it.
What is out there with a cursory Google search would suggest there should be enough “data” to plug some of the data collection holes the FAA has been lamenting the lack of over the past 20 years. Heck, the FAA should have no problem extrapolating safety numbers here. Depending on which AI you prompt (and not the free stuff), some suggest it is currently lower than 10-4. Anything below 4 is in between a snake’s belly and in the pattern around a gopher’s nut sack. If the numbers don’t give the public pause, it should provide the stakeholder good material for their waiver or exemption paperwork.
Apparently, Amazon split the CDA scene, and we can assume it wasn't because they didn't feel like they weren't getting their $21k worth. The glaring flaw with these legacy-type pricing schemes, in my estimation, is making the $82 billion industry “advocates,” and affiliated members look foolish for pushing what are known to be nonstarter ideas for less than the price of a good used Hyundai. AUVSI leadership would go full toady for $11k a year—no discounts for the tradeshow, but a low-rent royal flush when it came to credibility.
Not like Amazon needs anyone, as they already have the winning recipe for full sector lockdown. This Bezos guy knows how to parlay a $2 million lobby investment into a multi-billion-dollar, slow-and-steady NASA contract. You don't get the super yacht and land the Sanchez lady with good looks and altruism alone. Look how Amazon locked down Prime delivery; everyone has to go through them. Their operators are purportedly willing to poop by the side of the road for as little as +/- $25/hr. The drone model is going to be much the same and calls for best equipped, best served at NASA UTM did not fall on deaf ears. If they lock up the equipage and software subscription for entry into the NAS, it is going to be all over but the crying.
They are not the only altruistic OEM going for the big score. I ran the numbers on the back of some printer paper, and delivery is a loser unless there are ancillary income streams associated with your burrito delivery business model.
Some of the folks I speak with are saying these mishaps plainly demonstrate the possibility of a two-tier risk tolerance system. Even more troubling is the defining silence from the paid drone safety “advocates” and “experts” further invalidating UA sector credibility.
Well, not mine @TheDroneDealer on X