The first area in the UK for drone deliveries will be announced in the coming months. Amazon already has drone deliveries in California and Texas and plans to launch "ultra-fast" deliveries in a third US state and Italy. The company will start in a lightly populated suburban area and scale slowly based on regulatory approvals. The government's aviation minister, Baroness Vere, believes that Amazon's plans will boost the economy and offer consumers more choice while keeping the environment clean with zero-emission technology. The government aims for commercial drones to be commonplace by 2030.
In order to receive a drone delivery, customers need to be approved and have enough clear space for the drone to drop the parcel 12 feet to the ground. In the UK, Amazon plans to use markerless delivery and enable drones to pinpoint drop points using GPS. The drones have sensors to avoid obstacles and can fly up to 12km. Amazon aims to achieve 500 million global drone deliveries per year by the end of the decade. Frederic Laugere, head of innovation advisory services at the CAA, believes projects like this are vital for the safe and equitable use of the air by other users.
Original news source: Amazon pledges parcels in an hour using drone deliveries (BBC)
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Give each group a few minutes to read and discuss the article. Then, ask each group to write a one-paragraph summary of the key points of the article. Afterward, have each group share their summaries with the class.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Ask the class to individually think about their opinions on drone deliveries. Then, divide the class into pairs or small groups and have them discuss their opinions. Afterward, conduct a class poll by asking each student to share their opinion and provide a brief explanation for their stance.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Select a list of vocabulary words from the article. Write each word on a small piece of paper and put them in a hat or container. Divide the class into teams and have one person from each team come up to the front. Give each student a vocabulary word from the hat and ask them to draw a quick sketch of the word on the board. The other team members must guess the word based on the drawing. The team that guesses the most words correctly wins.
– Headline Creation
Instructions: Instruct the class to work individually or in pairs to create catchy headlines for the article. Encourage them to be creative and use language techniques, such as alliteration or puns. Afterward, have each student or pair share their headline with the class and explain their reasoning behind it.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: Ask students to imagine what the future of drone deliveries might look like. In pairs or small groups, have them discuss and write down their predictions. Then, ask each group to share their predictions with the class and have a class discussion on the feasibility and potential impact of these predictions.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Amazon has announced plans to use to parcels in the UK within an hour. The service will begin in one location at the end of 2024. Currently, Amazon offers deliveries in two US states for items weighing up to 5lbs. The company is closely with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to meet regulations, and the government believes this move will help understand how to safely and securely use this new technology. David Carbon, vice president of Prime Air, stated that the technology is safe and in high demand. Customers will be able to choose from thousands of items weighing 5lbs or less for drone delivery. The area in the UK for drone deliveries will be announced in the coming months. Amazon already has drone deliveries in and Texas and plans to launch "ultra-fast" deliveries in a third US state and Italy. The will start in a lightly populated suburban area and scale slowly based on regulatory . The government's aviation minister, Vere, believes that Amazon's plans will boost the economy and offer consumers more choice while keeping the environment clean with zero-emission technology. The government aims for drones to be commonplace by 2030. In order to a drone delivery, customers need to be approved and have enough clear space for the drone to drop the parcel 12 feet to the ground. In the UK, Amazon to use markerless delivery and drones to pinpoint drop points using GPS. The drones have sensors to avoid obstacles and can fly up to 12km. Amazon aims to achieve 500 million global drone per year by the end of the decade. Laugere, head of innovation advisory services at the CAA, believes projects like this are vital for the safe and equitable use of the air by other users.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What are your thoughts on Amazon using drones to deliver parcels?
2. How would you feel if you received a delivery from a drone?
3. Do you think drone deliveries will become popular in your country? Why or why not?
4. What is the benefit of using drones for delivery instead of traditional methods?
5. How do you think drone deliveries will impact the job market for delivery drivers?
6. Do you think using drones for delivery is a safe and secure method? Why or why not?
7. What potential challenges do you foresee with implementing drone deliveries on a large scale?
8. How do you think drone deliveries will affect the environment?
9. Have you ever used a drone before? If so, what was your experience like?
10. What are some other innovative technologies that could be used for delivery purposes?
11. How do you think the introduction of drone deliveries will change the way people shop?
12. Do you think drone deliveries will be more convenient for customers? Why or why not?
13. Would you be willing to pay extra for a drone delivery service? Why or why not?
14. How do you think drone deliveries will impact traditional brick-and-mortar stores?
15. What regulations do you think should be in place to ensure the safe use of drones for delivery?
Individual Activities
ππ Vocabulary Meanings:
Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.
Words
Meanings
π‘ Multiple Choice Questions:
π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
π Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
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