As specialists in supply chain recruitment, we like to keep up to date with the latest logistics, supply chain or recruitment news.
In the last week or so, a surprising breakthrough has been made regarding parcel deliveries by Drones. Whilst the concept of using drones has been in the news a little while with Google and Amazon both running trials in the US, it seems online retail giants Amazon have now been granted government permission to trial drone delivery in the UK.
A major development for the world of logistics
Working with the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the online retail giant will trial its drones by delivering small parcels, while also testing sensors to ensure that the drones can avoid obstacles on their own.
Eventually, Amazon intends to use drones to carry parcels weighing up
to 2.3 kg.
It seems that testing in the UK will be able to be done on a much less stringent basis than in the USA, where the Federal Air Authority demands that drones must be tested within the line of sight.
Not only will Amazon be allowed to test drones beyond the line of sight in suburban and rural areas, but one operator will also be permitted to control multiple drones simultaneously.
The allowance of drone testing in the UK comes mere days after the news of Amazon Flex, which enables car drivers to deliver Amazon parcels in their spare time, subject to passing the retailer’s checks.
Amazon and CAA chiefs respond
Paul Misener, Amazon’s vice president of global innovation policy and communications, said the drone announcement “strengthens our partnership with the UK and brings Amazon closer to our goal of using drones to safely deliver parcels in 30 minutes to customers in the UK and elsewhere around the world.”
Meanwhile, having previously warned about the use of drones by private and hobby users, the CAA has expressed interest in finding out how drones could be used safely in response to Amazon’s tests. CAA Policy Director Tim Johnson commented:
“We want to enable the innovation that arises from the development of drone technology by safely integrating drones into the overall aviation system. These tests by Amazon will help inform our policy and future approach.”
A new set of skills may be required
This dramatic change in the approach to delivering goods may just bring about an influx of new jobs, which will, in turn, require a set of skills previously unknown in the supply chain and logistics industries.
Finding people with the right skills and knowledge to safely and correctly work with drones is going to be slightly difficult as it is a fairly new technology, which will, in turn, make the need for effective logistics and supply chain recruitment solutions greater than ever.
For more information regarding recruitment within the logistics and supply chain industry, contact Bis Henderson – an award-winning recruitment consultancy.
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