VOA标准英语2015--亚马逊获得无人机专利

Amazon Gets Patent for Drone Deliveries 亚马逊获得无人机专利

Amazon.com - the largest U.S.-based online retailer¹ - has received a patent for its planned delivery system - getting merchandise to customers by flying drones. In March, federal regulators gave their approval for Amazon to begin testing the new technology. But, the new service is still some time off.

According to the patent application published by the U.S. Patent Office, Amazon plans to use the Global Positioning System, or GPS, not only for deliveries to homes around the country, but directly to purchasers, wherever they may be.

Focusing on the location of the customer’s mobile device, usually a smartphone, the drone will be able to avoid both living things and inanimate obstacles, identify areas safe for landing and deliver the package within 30 minutes.

For security reasons, the Federal Aviation Administration requires the drones in this experimental test period to remain within sight of their operators, which severely² limits their reach.

Amazon is working on solutions, says Loretta Alkalay, from Vaughn College of Aeronautics³ and Technology in New York, speaking by Skype.

“I think that they are going to work on those in parallel with advancing the new technology. So I don’t see the security problems as being something that should stop the technology," said Alkalay.

Amazon is still not advertising⁴ the drone deliveries, but Alkalay is optimistic that they will happen.

“I do think that in the reasonably foreseeable future they are going to start doing deliveries. We have already seen deliveries being done in disaster areas and remote areas. I think there is a huge demand for that type of delivery," she said.

There are still a number of concerns regarding possible collisions with various objects, as well as vandalism and theft of the drones and goods, but Alkalay says the media has assumed - incorrectly - that deliveries would be made to people’s front doors.

“If you think of a drone delivery perhaps to your rooftop, then you’ll have an opportunity to separate the pedestrian and vehicular traffic, and at the same time separate it from air traffic," said Alkalay.

Alkalay says even though American homes are not set up for rooftop deliveries, it is possible that future homes will have special platforms for air deliveries of small merchandise.

1 retailer   

n.零售商(人)

参考例句：

• What are the retailer requirements?零售商会有哪些要求呢？
• The retailer has assembled a team in Shanghai to examine the question.这家零售商在上海组建了一支团队研究这个问题。

2 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

3 aeronautics   

n.航空术，航空学

参考例句：

• National Aeronautics and Space undertakings have made great progress.国家的航空航天事业有了很大的发展。
• He devoted every spare moment to aeronautics.他把他所有多余的时间用在航空学上。

4 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。