Amazon secures patent for body language detecting drones

Amazon has been issued a patent for drones that can recognise human gestures when delivering packages. Customers will be able to change the trajectory and speed of the drone through voice and arm movements. U.S. based Prime members will have access to drone delivery in a few months once safety measures have been completed, but at least 10 FAA-approved pilot schemes have been planned for the start of May. Gur Kimchi, the Vice President of Amazon Prime Air, is positive they will receive the green light by 2019.  

Amazon doesn’t just want customers to use drones to receive package deliveries, the company wants shoppers to interact with them, too.The online giant was awarded a patent this week for a drone that can be configured to deliver packages based on its recognition of human gestures and voice commands. The patent was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on July 18, 2016. According to the filing , the unmanned device could be equipped with propulsion technology that manages the drone’s speed and trajectory, a sensor, and management system. The management system can be programmed to detect human gestures — both visual and audial — via the sensor, a move that will instruct the drone where to go.For example, the unmanned device could be on its way to a customer’s home. Upon arrival, the customer can speak or gesture to the drone where they would like their package delivered. The drone’s sensors can interact with a database of stored gestures. Upon matching the customer’s action, the device can adjust its propulsion, trajectory, and speed to modify its delivery location, the filing explained.The document didn't reveal any plans for Amazon to leverage the technology.This is the newest drone-based patent that Amazon has pursued to improve its fulfillment and delivery efforts. In February, the online giant was granted two patents, both supporting a wristband that can pinpoint the location of warehouse employees and track their hand movements in real-time. The solutions are based on haptic technology, which relates to manipulating objects using the sense of touch.Last summer, Amazon filed a patent application for “ground-based mobile maintenance facilities for unmanned aerial vehicles.” Simply put, these hubs would be dedicated to accommodating, loading, launching, receiving and maintaining the delivery drones.