Jeff Bezos' proposal to deliver packages by aerial drone has the potential to upset traditional models of logistics and distribution, but it's most powerful effect may be on the urban airspace. Are blue skies ahead for Bezos' vision?
"Bezos is proposing to build a fleet of small robotic eight-motored helicopters – drones – to carry individual packages under five pounds in weight within a 10 mile radius of delivery centers," notes Drew Reed.
"Are we witnessing the dawn of a brave new dronecopter world? No one is certain, but Bezos’s vision is certainly a lot more plausible than the tacocopter and may yet see the light of day. And who knows? Perhaps upping the number of drone deliveries isn’t a bad thing (provided the drones aren’t equipped with weapons like their wartime counterparts). It means fewer trucks on the street, though how much fewer is unclear; it’s going to take a whole lot of five-pound drone shipments to equal the weight carried by just one two-ton truck."
FULL STORY: Envisioning a Future Urban Dronescape
Key Warehouse Centers Challenge Distribution Center Expansion
Communities near major e-commerce distribution centers are increasingly resisting new construction, citing air pollution and other public health impacts.
'Indirect Source Rule' Would Clean Up Warehouses in Southern California
Dr. Joe Lyou, CEO of the Coalition for Clean Air, walks through the legal necessity of South Coast AQMD's proposed Indirect Source Rule, which aims to accelerate the transition to zero-emission technologies and fleet electrification.
Amazon Outbids SEPTA for Southwest Philadelphia Property
The transit agency must renew its search for an appropriate facility for an expanded trolley barn as part of its plan to modernize its aging fleet.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service