Drone tests for UPS
On Monday, UPS tested its drone delivery capabilities in Tampa, Florida. The drone, developed by Workhouse Group Inc., was launched from the top of a delivery truck and returned once the package had been delivered. This was UPS’s first test of the use of drones for residential deliveries. The truck used was custom-built to accommodate the drone and its purpose; a cage was installed to lower the drone into the truck to allow reloading and recharging. This is also the first time UPS revealed how it imagines drones could be used in its future operations. UPS wants the drone to serve as a helper, not a replacement; the drone will enhance drivers’ capabilities and efficiency rather than replace them entirely.
The ultimate aim is for the drones to deliver packages autonomously while the driver of the truck continues his own delivery tasks. In the future, UPS hopes the driver will be able to push a button to release and send the drone the information it needs to deliver its packages. The drone can carry up to 10 pounds and is capable of a 30-minute flight time; however, FAA restrictions are still enforced, so the device must stay within the line of sight of a pilot. The public is still skeptical of the use of drones, which can be seen after a second unofficial test suffered a glitch, resulting in a drone falling from the sky to the side of its launch station.
Read more and watch the video of the test here.
Amazon’s UK apprenticeships
This year, Amazon is planning to create 5,000 jobs within the UK. These will be added to its already 24,000 strong UK workforce. The jobs will be offered in its fulfilment centers throughout the UK, and three newly built, un-opened sites in Tilbury, Doncaster and Daventry. Apprenticeships in logistics, engineering and warehousing are the key focus to the opportunities that will be added in the expansion, as well as many other roles within HR and operations. Amazon will also invest more money into the UK through the opening of a new 15-storey head-office in Shoreditch.
London is Europe’s leading technology hub and home to some of the world’s top tech talent. The new employees will be working on global customer innovations such as Alexa, Prime Air, cloud computing and more. It will also add to the AWS re:Start program that was introduced last month in the UK. This program offers free training and job placements to young adults and others in order to educate them on the latest software development and cloud computing technologies.
To find out more on Amazon’s offers click here.
Boeing is changing it up
Due to an increasingly competitive market, Boeing is now turning to 3-D printing for the manufacturing of its satellites. The company saw the need to change its strategy due to the amount of small, but threatening, companies continually entering the industry. It will rely on 3-D printing and reduce its number of workers, totally transforming its traditional practices. Before, the satellites were highly customized and hand-assembled. This therefore slowed production and brought upon increased costs. With 3-D printers, production time is shortened and cheaper, and modular products are made. Acquisition costs are also slated to be lowered for operators.
The satellites will have a shorter shelf life due to the modular aspect; however, it allows Boeing to keep upgrading its products more frequently with up-to-date technology. Through the implementation of additive manufacturing technologies, Boeing could become the industry leader in high-volume spacecraft manufacturing. However, it may take years for the company to see substantial results from this change.
More information on Boeing’s additive manufacturing strategy can be found here.
Have a great weekend!
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