In the past few years, an increasing number of companies have begun experimenting with “drone delivery” services. The way it works is simple. Instead of someone bringing a package to a customer’s house via a truck or car, the package is instead delivered by a flying drone, usually to a safe location like a person’s backyard.
Amazon has been rolling out its drone delivery option, called Amazon Prime Air, in the United States since 2022. And the company recently announced that it plans to expand to more areas of the country in the coming months.
The benefits of such a system are obvious. As noted by the Week, drone deliveries are faster and more efficient than truck deliveries, and drones are more capable of reaching difficult locations than their 4-wheeled counterparts.
However, there are also downsides—including some that customers like TikTok user Bree Nelson (@bnelson24) probably didn’t expect.
What Went Wrong with This Drone Delivery?
In a video with over 478,000 views, Nelson excitedly films her Arizona backyard as she awaits a drone delivery.
“Here it comes!” she says as the sound of a drone can be heard overhead. “God, that thing’s loud.”
As the drone approaches, Nelson quickly realizes another problem with drone delivery. The drone’s propellers shoot a considerable amount of air downwards as the drone reaches the ground—meaning that if one has a dirt yard, like Nelson, specks of dirt, debris, and dust are going to be sent everywhere.
Eventually, the drone drops the package onto the ground.
“Look at all that f—— dust that’s blowing!” Nelson’s partner exclaims. He later adds, “Oh my God, that was a terrible idea.”
The Many Problems With Drone Delivery
Although drone delivery might be quick and cool, Nelson’s video shows that there can be quite a few problems that come along with it.
For example, the noise of a drone is pretty intense. In general, the volume of the drone is not the issue; on his YouTube channel, Dr. Shane Ross demonstrated that the sound of a drone delivery is no louder than a nearby road or even nearby conversation. The problem, he says, is with the tone of the drones, which many find unpleasant.
“The tone is annoying — sounds like buzzing bees or insect swarms and instinctively makes us anxious,” he writes in the video’s description. “This tone will have to be improved before people want drone delivery in their area.”
Additionally, there are other problems that may come with the widespread implementation of drone delivery. There are lingering regulatory issues that prevent drone delivery from being rolled out nationwide, and even when it is, companies will still need to contend with problems like environmental hazards and range or battery issues.
@bnelson24
Commenters Aren’t Pleased
In the comments section, users said that videos like these are putting them off the idea of drone delivery.
“I was going to pay that $4.99 extra just to see what the drone looked like. Glad I came across your video,” wrote a user.
“That’s cool af, to see one time then never again,” added another.
“I’m sorry but with how loud that was, I would hate if people in my neighborhood did drone delivery,” stated a third. “I work from home, but imagine if you have a baby you’re putting down for a nap or you work 3rd shift and you’re sleeping.”
BroBible reached out to Amazon via email and Nelson via TikTok direct message and comment.