# UPS delivers a drone to an unexpecting guy in Montana **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 6, 2014, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-delivers-a-drone-to-an-unexpecting-guy-in-montana/687768 "2014-05-06T01:36:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-delivers-a-drone-to-an-unexpecting-guy-in-montana/687768/1 "2014-05-06T01:36:55Z")
> **[UPS Just Delivered a $400,000 Drone to Some Dude by Mistake](https://gizmodo.com/ups-just-delivered-a-400-000-drone-to-some-dude-by-mis-1572054473)** > > No one's perfect, least of all UPS. But as far as mistakes go, this is just about as bad—and expensive—as it gets. Thanks to one hell of a mixup, Reddit user Seventy\_Seven just got a $400,000 unmanned aerial vehicle delivered straight to his... “They told me that it was one of the undelivered packages in their office, and asked if I’ve ever had an undelivered package. I said no, but he insisted that it was mine, and said that it was up to me if I want to keep it or not.” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-delivers-a-drone-to-an-unexpecting-guy-in-montana/687768/2 "2014-05-06T02:20:13Z")
I would be interested to know if he has any legal footing to keep it. The US Government itself [admits](https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0181-unordered-merchandise) that you can keep unordered stuff under some circumstances. ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-delivers-a-drone-to-an-unexpecting-guy-in-montana/687768/3 "2014-05-06T02:40:03Z")
This happens so often that they include a frickin “If Found, Return To:” card? 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-delivers-a-drone-to-an-unexpecting-guy-in-montana/687768/4 "2014-05-06T03:34:15Z")
I’m simply gobsmacked that the federal government ships top-secret military hardware via UPS. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-delivers-a-drone-to-an-unexpecting-guy-in-montana/687768/5 "2014-05-06T04:07:10Z")
\*\*Drone Guy: \*\*“Don’t worry, I’ll get your drone back to you right away.” **Government Guy:** “How soon?” \*\* Drone Guy:\*\* “Are you the guy talking on the phone in the north office on the top floor? Stand back from the window.” ---
**Author:** ![Chihuahua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dec6dc/32.png) [@Chihuahua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chihuahua)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-delivers-a-drone-to-an-unexpecting-guy-in-montana/687768/6 "2014-05-06T08:37:46Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-delivers-a-drone-to-an-unexpecting-guy-in-montana/687768/7 "2014-05-06T09:05:17Z")
Who exactly is being pitted here? Weak pitting. UPS misdelivers something. Yawn. > [@rsa](#): > > This happens so often that they include a frickin “If Found, Return To:” card? 🆒 No that would be something that goes on the drone, in case it outlands. > [@buddha\_david](#): > > I’m simply gobsmacked that the federal government ships top-secret military hardware via UPS. It was an [environment and wildlife monitoring drone](http://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-feds-accidentally-mailed-their-350k-drone-to-some-college-kid)owned by the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration, not some supa sekrit piece of military hardware. Whole things a mildly amusing non event. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-delivers-a-drone-to-an-unexpecting-guy-in-montana/687768/8 "2014-05-06T10:56:40Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > It was an [environment and wildlife monitoring drone](http://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-feds-accidentally-mailed-their-350k-drone-to-some-college-kid)owned by the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration, not some supa sekrit piece of military hardware. _Or,_ they are intending to kill off terrorist sea life by drone strikes. We wouldn’t want kamikazi sharks to start swimming under boats and exploding, after all. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-delivers-a-drone-to-an-unexpecting-guy-in-montana/687768/9 "2014-05-06T11:12:42Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > _Or,_ they are intending to kill off terrorist sea life by drone strikes. We wouldn’t want kamikazi sharks to start swimming under boats and exploding, after all. I think you mean “kamikazi sharks with freakin’ lasers!” ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-delivers-a-drone-to-an-unexpecting-guy-in-montana/687768/10 "2014-05-06T12:09:31Z")
I am eagerly awaiting release of a consumer drone. I can just imagine being at work, watching drone video on the monitor showing my back yard, calling in a remote strike on the groundhog eating my vegetables. Scorched earth, baby. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-delivers-a-drone-to-an-unexpecting-guy-in-montana/687768/11 "2014-05-06T12:09:49Z")
I think you mean “unsuspecting.” It would be quite surprising to receive a drone through the post, but I’m not sure how to respond to this in the pit, since it’s just weird rather than evil. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-delivers-a-drone-to-an-unexpecting-guy-in-montana/687768/12 "2014-05-06T12:10:25Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > I think you mean “kamikazi sharks with freakin’ lasers!” Well, now we know why sharks _need_ lasers on their heads - to shoot down drones. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-delivers-a-drone-to-an-unexpecting-guy-in-montana/687768/13 "2014-05-06T12:54:42Z")
[two-day-late-SW-Pun] That was not the Drone he was looking for [/two-day-late-SW-Pun] ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-delivers-a-drone-to-an-unexpecting-guy-in-montana/687768/14 "2014-05-06T13:15:14Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > I think you mean “unsuspecting.” No, the guy was definitely not pregnant. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-delivers-a-drone-to-an-unexpecting-guy-in-montana/687768/15 "2014-05-06T13:54:47Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > No, the guy was definitely not pregnant. Not with that attitude. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-delivers-a-drone-to-an-unexpecting-guy-in-montana/687768/16 "2014-05-06T14:20:04Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > It was an [environment and wildlife monitoring drone](http://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-feds-accidentally-mailed-their-350k-drone-to-some-college-kid)owned by the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration, not some supa sekrit piece of military hardware. It’s still a little odd that they ship this stuff via UPS. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-delivers-a-drone-to-an-unexpecting-guy-in-montana/687768/17 "2014-05-06T14:29:54Z")
It would have been really cool if the drone had been misdelivered by a drone. Only a matter of time, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-delivers-a-drone-to-an-unexpecting-guy-in-montana/687768/18 "2014-05-06T14:47:51Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > It’s still a little odd that they ship this stuff via UPS. How else would they ship it? FedEx? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-delivers-a-drone-to-an-unexpecting-guy-in-montana/687768/19 "2014-05-06T15:09:59Z")
In their own vehicles, I expect. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-delivers-a-drone-to-an-unexpecting-guy-in-montana/687768/20 "2014-05-06T15:24:24Z")
It’s probably a gigantic cost savings to ship via a commercial carrier or USPS rather than send a government employee out in a truck to drive a single box somewhere in-state/out-of-state/cross-country, especially when not dealing with classified tech. Considering most people’s general impression of government spending, that’s a positive thing. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-delivers-a-drone-to-an-unexpecting-guy-in-montana/687768.md?page=2)