Somewhere In Japan, A Drone Is Delivering Shoes

Drones are still finding their way in our world. Though they're really fun, and cool, some don't use them for good. People fly them at planes, or intrude on the privacy of others. The FAA is considering grounding drones for consumer use, or at least severely restricting their use. Still, there are good applications for drones. Shoe delivery might not be the most efficient way to use a drone, but it sure is cool. To celebrate ten years in Japan, Crocs are being delivered to shoppers via drone.The flying Norlin project is equal parts celebratory and downright useless. An elaborate concept store that seems to take the 'light as air' method of shoe sales to new heights, Norlin's purpose is simply to show off some Crocs.

But who cares why this is happening, it's drones delivering shoes. That's awesome.

Consumers order their desired make and color form a tablet in the store. A drone (custom-built, but basically a Parrot it seems) then flies to a scaffold of shoes, drops down on the desired shoe, and flies off with it. Special hooks, outfitted with a metal plate for the drone's magnetic finger, keep the shoes in place.

After the drone picks them up, it flies over to a bin and drops them in. From there, consumers can go snag their pair and try them on.

This is not a rethinking of retail, so don't get too concerned. A store like this would have to exist in a place where the ceiling was tall enough to accommodate a drone, and that's just not feasible. And i'm not sure how you feel about muzak, but it's much more tolerable that the constant hum of a drone.

Via: Engadget