I'm not convinced that Amazon actually believes their delivery drones will become a reality -- despite their R&D and premature marketing hype (like showing delivery drones in their tv commercials). I think it is more likely that they are just trying to position themselves in a way that IF IT EVER BECOMES POSSIBLE they will be PERCEIVED as the leader in this type of delivery arena and, as such, would basically control that airspace by creating (or at least influencing) the rules and regulations that any competition will have to follow. I think that's their real goal in all of this.
Recognizing the logic of your comment, I'm pretty much convinced that the original comment in this thread is pretty much right--it's a real threat and it is now. I read an article on the Hover iphone app that talked about Strat Aero's acquisition of another company. Here's a similar article:
Strat Aero UK, Acquisition of Aero Kinetics Texas UAV Technology Company - sUAS News
and here's a quote from the article:
o Aero Kinetics is the first company to file for Federal Aviation Administration (‘FAA’) type certification for its multi-rotor unmanned aircraft, which will further strengthen the enlarged Start Aero group’s (‘the Group’) already compelling USPs, particularly to large Fortune 100 type clients:
o FAA certified aircrafts are likely to lead the way when regulatory authorities ease restrictions on line of sight, night-time and urban flying, essential for the long term economic use of UAVs for large organisations.
o Blue chip clients are extremely sensitive to issues such as insurance liability and multi-state restrictions, which FAA certification will overcome.
Those that comment that the recreational dronies, even backed by the AMA, just don't have any clout with the FAA, are closer to being right than those who view the registration sweep as the only pinch the FAA will likely put on us. Besides the bizzare local gov. restrictions, i.e. Los Angeles County last week enacting its own registration requirement, requiring the drone tag to be visible from the ground, there's a whole strata of airspace being grabbed by rich and powerful players, of which Amazon is only one, at the federal level.
I will repeat my comment here that unless the dronies of America rapidly join a new national recreational drone organization, and give em enough money to effectively operate, we're going to lose freedom in our sport, and sooner, not later. The big money boys will make sure that the FAA carries the torch for them, i.e. locals can't legislate against commercial drones, federal pre-emption, blah blah blah. But nobody is watching out for the little guys. That would be us.
Forget the Drone Slayer, he's a piker with but one drone in his head count. Concentrate on big money commercial interests in league with guv'mint. And on looney local guv'mint sniping from the ground.