A drone beer delivery service in Wisconsin was shut down by the FAA before it got off the ground.

A recent article from Bloomberg recapped the effect that the holiday shipping snafu is having on how UPS operates.

According to several news sites, Amazon has been granted a patent it applied for back in August 2012. It details a plan for "Anticipatory Package Shipping."

December 26 2013

Some of the hottest news in the shipping and logistics world over the last month has been the announcement that Amazon is working on a drone delivery system. This would entail robotic, pilotless flying machines making deliveries within a 10-mile radius of a processing facility.

While the premise is intriguing, many experts have pointed out that it is far from being a reality. One such comment was made in the Brandon Sun by Canada Post CEO Deepak Chopra. He mentioned that nobody expected news like this to come from a major shipping provider, but it will take decades to fully master.

What makes these comments more poignant is that they come from the head of a shipping company that is struggling in the current landscape and is looking for ways to innovate. The organization is currently undergoing a five-year restructuring that will eliminate jobs, raise stamp pricing and scrap home delivery, all things that the United Stated Postal Service is currently considering.

"We are facing some very difficult choices - this is not a business that has the luxury of doing nothing," Chopra said. "We are in the very early stages. I think what we're starting off (with) right now is a lot of homework and a lot of thinking based on where we find ourselves financially."

One step any business can take is to partner with a local logistics and shipping service provider. This will provide access to the latest technology and strategies to optimize any shipping practice.