Re: [LINK] Progress Report on Googong Wings

[Tom Worthington]

On 07/08/17 08:16, Roger Clarke wrote:

[Google Wings is piloting its delivery drones (in both senses of the word) at a 
small new residential area called Googong, outside Queanbeyan NSW ...


Keep in mind that Google try a lot of things, only some of which become 
products or services.


One thing interesting with "Google Wings" is the hybrid aircraft. Unlike 
the the typical 'copter drone, optimized for vertical flight, the Google 
Wings drone had wings and motors for forward propulsion. It appears to 
be designed to take off vertically, using twelve lift motors, transition 
to horizontal flight with two larger motors and at the destination land 
vertically. This suggests ti could travel longer distances. However, I 
still don't see this becoming a mainstream service.


Google previously tried a tail sitting flying wing design: 
https://web.archive.org/web/20141105011555/http://aviationweek.com/technology/google-details-project-wing-unmanned-package-delivery-rd



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Re: [LINK] Progress Report on Googong Wings

[JanW]

At 01:02 PM 7/08/2017, David Lochrin wrote:

>The gadget-ridden world they're trying to inflict on us is a result of a 
>value-free corporate world where wisdom & responsibility are out of scope.

Anyone here listen to Radio Lab? Their last two episodes - Breaking News and 
Truth Warriors - expose some of this. Breaking News is about video and voice 
manipulation, sort of like Hu Parkinson on ABC, only his is better. The idea is 
to provide believable avatars to represent public figures.

The main, point with regard to Google, though, is that the research person 
developing some of the stuff didn't even understand the question about ethics 
and creating falsifiable communications and how dangerous it could be. She 
literally didn't. It was mind-boggling.

Jan


I write books. http://janwhitaker.com/?page_id=8

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Re: [LINK] Progress Report on Googong Wings

[Frank O'Connor]

Yeah, 

Seems like another application of the old saying that ‘just because you can do 
something, doesn’t mean you should do something.’

I’m guessing that the next big improvement with delivery by drones will be 
'biological enhancement'. The idea will be for pigeons to be implanted with 
control systems that override their normal homing instinct, and force them to 
carry mail to consumers. Then we’ll be right back to the pigeon post of the 
19th and early 20th Centuries … and Amazon, Google and the like might see where 
they’ve gone wrong. Of course, they might not … in which case the next 
iteration of the bio-mechanical product will be ever bigger eagles with 
implants. (Which is probably unfair on the eagles .. at least one of whom 
managed to bring down a drone that annoyed it recently.)

It’s terrific how the drone theorists/fetishists have thrown away little 
numbers like economies of scale and efficiency in their singleminded pursuit of 
finding another use for drones other than snooping on the world at large. 

And the blokes who come up with all these useless drone ideas are paid how much 
for adding such little value to the lives of so many?

Just my 2 cents worth …
---
> On 7 Aug 2017, at 8:16 am, Roger Clarke  wrote:
> 
> [Google Wings is piloting its delivery drones (in both senses of the word) at 
> a small new residential area called Googong, outside Queanbeyan NSW:
> http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/google-sister-company-project-wing-chooses-googong-as-autonomous-drone-delivery-test-site-20170715-gxbu0o.html
> http://www.smh.com.au/act-news/canberra-airport-not-told-about-project-wing-drone-delivery-testing-nearby-at-googong-20170722-gxgnl5
> 
> A new article has been published, copy below.
> 
> [Here's my alternative report based on the evidence so far:
> 
> Official confirmation was provided today that the Google experiments with 
> drones as urban delivery vehicles has been going pretty badly.
> 
> Google company Project Wing said that the most advanced testing with 
> participants to date occurred in a low-density greenfields site 10km from the 
> nearest town, the flight-path used was only 1km and affected only six 
> households, and the reception by participants was at best lukewarm.
> 
> The usual safety-margins were reduced, but the drones were not permitted to 
> fly within 15 metres of people or property.  This of course limits the scope 
> for services to areas with no higher densities than 5-acre properties.
> 
> The company hopes to get approval to move beyond visual line of sight 
> operation, which will reduce the number of warehouses needed in order to 
> cover medium-density eastern Australia below the currently-estimated 200,000.
> 
> [Read on, and tell me whether you think I'm misinterpreting the data ...]
> 
> 
> Google company Project Wing looking to expand testing in Canberra region
> Elliot Williams
> The Canberra Times
> August 6 2017
> http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/google-company-project-wing-looking-to-expand-testing-in-canberra-region-20170805-gxq3fj.html
> 
> Google sister company Project Wing is seeking approval from the Civil 
> Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to extend their approved testing distance 
> within Australia.
> 
> The US company hope CASA will grant approval to fly beyond one kilometre and 
> staff will search the region for a suitable new test site.
> 
> Project Wing just completed a two week test of their autonomous drone 
> delivery system with the help of residents in Googong.
> 
> During the two week period the drones flew within one kilometre while always 
> in a pilot's line of sight in case of emergency.
> 
> CASA's Peter Gibson said the main issue with granting further approval was 
> the line of sight requirement. Basic drone regulations in Australia enforce a 
> line of sight rule for all drone operators.
> 
> Commercial operators are able to seek approval to operate drones not in 
> visual line of sight and CASA grants these on a case by case basis once risks 
> are identified and mitigation strategies are in place.
> 
> Project Wing use the operator licence of Brisbane-based Unmanned Systems 
> Australia and Mr Gibson said that CASA "look forward to assessing their 
> application."
> 
> A spokeswoman for Project Wing said there would be no changes sought to the 
> restrictions that their drones may not fly within 15 metres of people or 
> property who provided consent.
> 
> James Ryan Burgess, Co-Lead of Project Wing, said before testing began that 
> the company "want to give all our devotion and attention to this area".
> 
> He also signalled an intention to eventually test in Canberra but there has 
> been no updates on a timeline for that.
> 
> Despite early concerns from some residents and Canberra Airport, the company 
> are