We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.
  • INDUSTRY PRESS ROOM
  • SUBMISSIONS
  • MEDIA FILE
  • Create Account
  • Sign In
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Free Newsletters
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • CSCMP EDGE 2022 Startup Alley
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • CSCMP EDGE 2022 Startup Alley
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
Home » Public opinion on drone delivery is mixed
Forward Thinking

Public opinion on drone delivery is mixed

October 18, 2016
Supply Chain Quarterly Staff
No Comments

The idea of drone delivery has generated a flurry of attention and hype in the popular press and is a hot topic at logistics industry conferences and trade shows. But not everyone is thrilled with the idea. A recent report from the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) shows that consumers are mixed about whether they want their parcels delivered by unmanned autonomous vehicles.

"Public Perception of Drone Delivery in the United States" is based on an online survey of 1,465 residents of the United States between the ages of 18 and 75 years old. It found that although 44 percent of Americans liked the idea of drone delivery, 34 percent did not, and 23 percent remained undecided.

Age, geography, and gender all seem to play a role in how open people are to the idea of drones. Not surprisingly, 65 percent of millennials like the idea of drone delivery, compared to 24 percent of baby boomers. Likewise, 51 percent of urban residents favor drones, versus 37 percent of residents of rural or remote areas. Additionally, males (52 percent) are more likely to approve of drones than females (35 percent).

The survey also suggests that the more consumers know about drone delivery, the more receptive to the idea they are. Only 24 percent of respondents who had not seen or heard anything about drone delivery liked the idea, whereas 75 percent of respondents who had seen and heard a lot about drone delivery liked the idea.

The biggest benefits of drone delivery, according to the survey participants, are faster delivery times and the ability to make emergency deliveries. However, less than a third (32 percent) of respondents were convinced that drone delivery would be safe, and 42 percent of respondents said their primary concern about drone delivery is that the machines could malfunction.

The report was commissioned to help the USPS assess whether to incorporate drones into its operation. Topics covered by the survey included the overall appeal of drone technology, its most and least interesting applications, whether the public believes claims about its potential benefits, the public's expected time frame for implementation, potential concerns, and how the public would view drone delivery if it were offered by various players in the logistics and technology fields.

The report suggested that it may be too soon for any company or organization to offer drone delivery; the responses indicate that the public would view each company involved in the survey (Google, Amazon, UPS, FedEx, and the USPS) less positively if it started offering drone delivery today. However, the survey also found that being associated with drone delivery would make members of the public perceive the USPS as being more innovative than they do today.

Logistics
    • Related Articles

      Report: Consumer sentiment mixed on retail delivery performance

      Report: The delivery economy is here

      Ports post mixed results for October

    Recent Articles by Supply Chain Quarterly Staff

    Saddle Creek adds 1.8 million square feet of warehouse space in four markets

    Penske’s 3PL arm to expand brokerage capabilities with new offices in Chicago and NJ

    ERP vendor Aptean acquires TMS provider TOTALogistix

    You must login or register in order to post a comment.

    Report Abusive Comment

    Most Popular Articles

    • Report: Sagging freight stats show that trucking sector is returning to its historic mean

    • Survey: parcel delivery drivers are frustrated by using their own smartphones for work

    • Heavy transport across two continents

    • Survey: most Americans unaware that truckers face shortage of parking spaces

    • Supply chain executives not yet seeing expected results from technology investments

    Featured Video

    20221107korber large vs

    Enhancing Customer Experience with Your Supply Chain Strategy

    Viewer Contributed
    With the rise of e-commerce, many businesses have had to transform their warehouses to handle online orders in addition to regularly scheduled inventory shipments. This means warehouses need more information than ever before to ensure they can meet customers' needs. As a result, companies need to select warehouse...

    FEATURED WHITE PAPERS

    • Three layers of forklift safety: Promoting operating best practices

    • The Complete Guide to Automated Packaging

    • Five tips for parcel success in 2023

    • Guide to Pallet Rack Safety

    View More

    Subscribe to Supply Chain Quarterly

    Get Your Subscription
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • E-NEWSLETTERS
    • ADVERTISING
    • CUSTOMER CARE
    • CONTACT
    • ABOUT
    • STAFF
    • PRIVACY POLICY

    Copyright ©2023. All Rights ReservedDesign, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing