Drone Service Delivers Textbooks to Students in Minutes

If waiting two or three days for a FedEx package seems like a lifetime, you may soon have a new, faster shipping option: drones

Australian textbook rental company Zookal has partnered with Flirtey, a commercial drone service, to ship some Australian students their books just minutes after they place an order

"Drones have this negative connotation," Ahmed Haider, Zookal's founder and CEO, told Mashable. "We want to apply them to commercial uses and show that they can have a very positive impact."

A user makes a purchase on his or her smartphone, and selects Flirtey as the delivery method of choice. Back at headquarters, a human packs up the purchased items — although Zookal hopes to automate the packing in the future — and attaches it to the drone. A few minutes later, the drone and your package arrive Read more...