Much has been said about Amazon\u2019s future plans to make deliveries via drones. But the reality is that Amazon Prime Air, as Amazon calls the program, will remain a fantasy for several more years. Regulatory support is still far off and there are some pretty huge hurdles for Amazon to figure out before they can fly swarms of package-bearing drones in the sky.<\/p>\n
But we have a glimpse of what that future will look like. Amazon has filed a patent<\/a> describing self-destructing drone technology.<\/p>\n The patent specifically describes a \u201cDirected fragmentation of an unmanned aerial vehicle.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n The description of technology that allows unmanned aerial vehicles to detect a flight problem and automatically self-destruct in a safe manner.<\/p>\n The patent describes a flight controller, which determines the flight path and controls the entire flight operation, and a fragmentation controller.<\/p>\n The fragmentation controller is the centerpiece of this patent. According to Amazon, it triggers \u2018a controlled, directed fragmentation of the UAV upon any disruption to the flight operation of the UAV\u2019.<\/p>\n The fragmentation controller evaluates current flight conditions and develops a fragmentation sequence based on location, flight conditions and other factors. If necessary, the sequence results in the breakup of one or more components of the UAV.<\/p>\n Amazon has been hard at work developing and promoting their drone delivery system. They even have a dedicate page<\/a> for it on their website and a few videos to showcase their innovations.<\/p>\nWhat is In the Patent?<\/h2>\n
How Does This Help Amazon?<\/h2>\n