以後的快遞用無人機空投？亞馬遜在搞什麼？
Amazon's ideas for carrying out drone deliveries just keep getting more ludicrous.
亞馬遜實行無人機遞送的想法正繼續變得更荒謬可笑。
The company has filed a patent for a system that would allow drones to drop packages from the sky, and guide them to a safe landing spot using tiny parachutes.
該公司提出了一項系統專利，該系統將允許無人機從空中投遞包裹，並用小型降落傘引導着包裹安全着陸。
In the patent filing, published on Tuesday, Amazon wrote that such a system could "forcefully propel a package" from a unmanned aerial vehicle (or drone) while in motion.
在星期二發表的這項專利申請中，亞馬遜表示，這樣一個系統可以從運轉中的無人操縱的飛行器（或無人機）中“強有力地驅動一個包裹”。
The patent describes how the drone could alter the force applied to the package, depending on where it wanted the package to land.
這項專利說明了無人機是如何根據想要的着陸地點來改變應用在包裹上的力量。
Once airborne, the vertical descent path of the package would be controlled using one or more "control surfaces" - which could consist of wings, parachutes, or compressed air canisters.
一旦進行空運，包裹的垂直降落軌道將由一個或多個“操縱面”進行控制，包括機翼、降落傘或壓縮的空氣罐。
"Instructions can be transmitted from the UAV via an RF module that cause the one or more controls surfaces to alter the vertical descent path of the package to avoid obstructions or to regain a stable orientation," the patent states.
該專利聲明，“指令可以通過無人機的射頻模塊傳輸，使一個或多個操縱面改變包裹的垂直降落軌道來避開障礙或重新獲得一個穩定的方向”。
Amazon explained that the advantage of this system is that it would be more efficient than landing the drones for each delivery.
亞馬遜解釋道，這個系統的優勢是，與每次投遞時降落無人機相比，這個系統會更有效率。
Amazon began testing its drone delivery service in the UK earlier this year, completing its first delivery in Cambridge on December 14.
今年早些時候，亞馬遜開始在英國測試它的無人機投遞服務，並於12月14日完成了其第一次投遞服務。
The retailer intends to use unmanned aerial vehicles to pick up small packages from Amazon fulfillment centres and deposit them outside customers' front doors in under 30 minutes.
該零售商打算使用無人機在30分鐘內從亞馬遜的運營中心拾取小包裹，並將包裹放置在顧客的前門外。
However, one of the biggest barriers to making drone deliveries work at scale is the fact that they cannot travel very far before their batteries run out.
然而，使用無人機進行大規模投遞的一個最大的障礙就是，事實上，無人機在電池耗光之前無法行進太遠。
None of these patents provide concrete proof of Amazon's plans; most companies often file patents that never end up becoming real-world products or services.
這些專利沒有提供亞馬遜規劃的具體證明；不過，多數公司經常會申請專利，雖然那些專利最終從未成爲真實的產品或服務。
However, they offer a fascinating insight into how Amazon could overcome some of the obstacles facing drone deliveries in the future.
然而，他們卻對亞馬遜如何克服未來無人機運輸所面臨的一些障礙提供了極有吸引力的深刻見解。
