# Viability of consumer drones - Domino's Pizza-Copter - Hmm... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 4, 2013, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viability-of-consumer-drones-dominos-pizza-copter-hmm/660131 "2013-06-04T17:45:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viability-of-consumer-drones-dominos-pizza-copter-hmm/660131/1 "2013-06-04T17:45:11Z")
Mobile link to MSNBC here: [Domino's 'DomiCopter' drone can deliver two large pepperonis](http://t.nbcnews.com/technology/dominos-domicopter-drone-can-deliver-two-large-pepperonis-6C10182466) > [@](#): > > On a lunch break last month, a small custom-built octacopter made a 10-minute flight through the city of Guildford, outside of London. Its special cargo: two large pepperoni pizzas. > > The delivery was masterminded by a T + Biscuits, an English creative agency that was hired by Domino’s to test prototypes. > > “We’re looking at making flying pizzas a possibility,” Tom Hatton, Master Brewer and founder of T + Biscuits, told NBC News. > > A pizza delivering drone smells deliciously similar to the fabled TacoCopter — a taco delivery app which, to the Internet’s disappointment, ended up being just a concept design — but Hatton insists the “DomiCopter” is the real deal. “We’re serious about it,” he said. Concepts aside - how could this ever work? - How could they be overseen from an air traffic standpoint? Or policed so they couldn’t be co-opted for terrorist activities (i.e., some independent player planting something on some branded drone - the company not involved in any way in the bad stuff…) - What about folks trying to shoot them down - as a prank or to hurt their business? - How could they deal with accidents? Pizzas falling from the sky, collisions, etc. I mean, this will never be something that could happen, right? Or, put it another way: is there a set of challenges that: a) could be addressed IRL; and b) could enable drone-based consumer services to actually be viable/implement-able? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viability-of-consumer-drones-dominos-pizza-copter-hmm/660131/2 "2013-06-04T19:10:30Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > - What about folks trying to shoot them down - as a prank or to hurt their business? I assume in the same way as they handle people trying to shoot out cars’ tires on the interstate as a practical joke. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viability-of-consumer-drones-dominos-pizza-copter-hmm/660131/3 "2013-06-04T20:30:49Z")
If we wait long enough, everything from **Snow Crash** is going to become real. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viability-of-consumer-drones-dominos-pizza-copter-hmm/660131/4 "2013-06-04T20:59:54Z")
You talk about pizza falling from the sky like it would be a bad thing. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viability-of-consumer-drones-dominos-pizza-copter-hmm/660131/5 "2013-06-04T21:24:19Z")
If they were equipped with small cameras it might tend to defer vandalism. I think it is a cool idea. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viability-of-consumer-drones-dominos-pizza-copter-hmm/660131/6 "2013-06-04T21:31:52Z")
would it get there piping hot? could it carry extra napkins? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viability-of-consumer-drones-dominos-pizza-copter-hmm/660131/7 "2013-06-04T21:36:42Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > If we wait long enough, everything from **Snow Crash** is going to become real. Man, I hope the dogs like me! ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viability-of-consumer-drones-dominos-pizza-copter-hmm/660131/8 "2013-06-04T21:40:32Z")
If they were completely automated they would probably be safer (i.e. result in fewer accidents) than drivers delivering the pizza. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viability-of-consumer-drones-dominos-pizza-copter-hmm/660131/9 "2013-06-04T21:46:48Z")
How much do you tip a pizza-copter? ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viability-of-consumer-drones-dominos-pizza-copter-hmm/660131/10 "2013-06-04T21:48:05Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > - What about folks trying to shoot them down - as a prank or to hurt their business? They don’t deliver to the Bronx. Probably a more legitimate concern is noise and safety. People probably don’t want RC drones whizzing around their neighborhood making an awful racket. And I’m more worried about one landing on someones car or crashing into a person than I am about terrorism or people shooting them down. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viability-of-consumer-drones-dominos-pizza-copter-hmm/660131/11 "2013-06-05T18:15:43Z")
Nothing could ever go wrong with 4 sharp blades spinning at a high rate of speed. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viability-of-consumer-drones-dominos-pizza-copter-hmm/660131/12 "2013-06-05T18:45:47Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Nothing could ever go wrong with 4 sharp blades spinning at a high rate of speed. There’s new tech that’s being added to table saws that shorts the machine out when the blade comes in to contact with…meat (it works for both hot dogs and fingers). This tech could be applied to the blades of the choppers. That doesn’t help tall trees and power lines but it could keep curious mammals of all types from being decapitated. ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viability-of-consumer-drones-dominos-pizza-copter-hmm/660131/13 "2013-06-05T19:01:10Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Nothing could ever go wrong with 4 sharp blades spinning at a high rate of speed. Nothing could ever go wrong with a half-ton vehicle loaded with highly flammable fluid traveling 30 MPH down a street. =P ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viability-of-consumer-drones-dominos-pizza-copter-hmm/660131/14 "2013-06-05T20:14:37Z")
I doubt they’re military sized drones; probably more like radio-controlled airplanes or helicopters than anything else. I’d think that road drones (autonomous vehicles) are more likely in the long run- that requires a lot less GIS accuracy, and processing power, once the driving part is taken care of. Basically it’d drive up, give your phone a call and say it was out front, and give you a code to type in to get your pizza. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viability-of-consumer-drones-dominos-pizza-copter-hmm/660131/15 "2013-06-06T11:52:25Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I doubt they’re military sized drones; probably more like radio-controlled airplanes or helicopters than anything else. > > I’d think that road drones (autonomous vehicles) are more likely in the long run- that requires a lot less GIS accuracy, and processing power, once the driving part is taken care of. Basically it’d drive up, give your phone a call and say it was out front, and give you a code to type in to get your pizza. That sounds far more plausible. I really have difficulty envisioning what would need to be in place to enable small drones to fly all over a city or town. Autonomous vehicles take advantage of decades/centuries of development regarding use of roads and how road systems “fit” into cities and towns. We have similar structures in place for air space with regards to planes, and even 'copters in big cities (which are often problematic) - but this small drone-copter type of traffic would require a lot more clarification and systems… ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viability-of-consumer-drones-dominos-pizza-copter-hmm/660131/16 "2013-06-06T13:08:55Z")
On top of that, the autonomous driving part is being feverishly worked on by multiple organizations; at some point in the near future, we’ll see autonomous vehicles on the roads, and once that point is reached, extending that to deliver a pizza will be trivial, since 99% of it will be accomplished by the autonomous driving, and the other 1% will be keeping the pizzas hot, making sure customers don’t jack someone else’s pizza, and optimizing the route that the autonomous pizza vehicle (APV?) takes to get everyone their pizza the fastest. ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viability-of-consumer-drones-dominos-pizza-copter-hmm/660131/17 "2013-06-06T13:56:50Z")
It could function as basically a mobile vending machine. If they could keep the piazzas hot, it could offer customers additional pizzas from other canceled orders. Automated cars have tons of applications besides pizza delivery. Rental cars that deliver / return themselves, auto taxis, security vehicles, parking space finder modes, delivery vehicles in general, etc. ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viability-of-consumer-drones-dominos-pizza-copter-hmm/660131/18 "2013-06-06T14:14:19Z")
Or a Little Caesar’s Hot & Ready car that cruises neighborhoods like an ice cream truck… ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viability-of-consumer-drones-dominos-pizza-copter-hmm/660131/19 "2013-06-06T14:30:09Z")
I read “Domicopter”, and pizza isn’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viability-of-consumer-drones-dominos-pizza-copter-hmm/660131/20 "2013-06-06T14:34:20Z")
I don’t know about autonomous, but FPV (First Person View) radio control has come a long way, as have quad copters. Here’s a [video of a FPV quad copter,](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsrzBwylodU) the pilot is sitting on the deck throughout the flight. I’d be more worried about somebody jacking my gear than anything else. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viability-of-consumer-drones-dominos-pizza-copter-hmm/660131.md?page=2)