Online shopping continues to grow by leaps and bounds around the world, driving a new kind of economy and offering new challenges to the very fabric of our society. Much of that change is viewed in a positive light, but some of it is not only questionable but downright negative. Take, for instance, what’s now happening in countless urban areas in the United States, and around the globe, as Amazon processes millions of orders each day and sends them out to be delivered to your doorstep. In New York City alone nearly 2 million packages are delivered by Amazon and other businesses each day. This has a very definitive and negative impact on pollution, gridlock, and roadway safety. While consumers love the convenience of quick delivery, civic leaders are beginning to fret over the traffic jams and bilious smog that comes as the price tag for this convenience.

FedEx and UPS double park their vehicles on city streets, creating hazardous traffic jams at all times of the day and night. Their trucks block bike lanes and bus lanes, making it difficult those those modes of transportation to function efficiently or safely. In the past six years alone, New York City has issued UPS and FedEx in excess of 470-thousand parking tickets — and still the problem is growing. 

The only solution on the horizon so far is . . . drones.