Amazon planning package delivery by drone; What could possibly go wrong?

"Please leave packaging feedback; you have 20 seconds to comply." -Amazon's new ED-209 delivery drone

— Frank J. Fleming (@IMAO_) December 2, 2013

On “60 Minutes,” Amazon.com founder and CEO Jeff Bezos announced a “big surprise”: His company is in the planning stages for residential package deliveries by drone.

Many took to Twitter to speculate on the age-old question, “what could possibly go wrong?”

Test flight of new Amazon drone over urban areas: pic.twitter.com/cn1zJzgR2e

— jimgeraghty (@jimgeraghty) December 2, 2013

FedEx announces they're staffing up to deal with Amazon's drones: pic.twitter.com/noJ2DgmBbv

— jimgeraghty (@jimgeraghty) December 2, 2013

Even Amazon will one day be disrupted by an innovator. But then they'll attack that innovator with drones.

— jimgeraghty (@jimgeraghty) December 2, 2013

How many @amazon drones will be flying around everyone's neighborhood in 10 years. It'll be like gigantic electricl locusts with boxes.

— Kerry Picket (@KerryPicket) December 2, 2013

How bad does my taste have to be for the Amazon PrimeAir drone to explode in my hands upon delivery?

— Douglas Wicker (@douglaswicker) December 2, 2013

When drone strikes involve copies of 50 Shades of Grey, we'll have entered a new and cruel era of psychological war. http://t.co/BqWfFvvTUo

— Andrew Silver (@standsagreenoak) December 2, 2013

What happens if there is a rogue drone? Will Amazon pay for the damage to the house?

— Tish (@KamaainaInOC) December 2, 2013

I can't wait to order $5 worth of stuff just so I can snag a drone. #Amazon #drone #bezos #BezosAnnouncement

— JR Howell (@JR_Howell_JR) December 2, 2013

Breaking news from Christmas 2018: midair collision between Amazon Delivery Drone and unidentified object showers Atlanta with reindeer pate

— John Hayward (@Doc_0) December 2, 2013

Over under odds on how long it takes for a "amazon drone hit me" lawsuit?

— Jenna Bilotta (@jenna) December 2, 2013

Then of course there’s the question of how many shoot-downs will occur:

If an Amazon drone flies near my house am I legally allowed to shoot it down?

— Ben White (@morningmoneyben) December 2, 2013

So what would stop someone from shooting down an Amazon drone and taking its package? Will the drones release chaff?

— Jeffrey Goldberg (@JeffreyGoldberg) December 2, 2013

So basically “shooting an amazon prime drone down with a slingshot and get a prize” is the new pastime for the next generation.

— Mark Jardine (@markjardine) December 2, 2013

So, which science fiction work anticipated the people who’ll shoot Amazon drones from the sky to fence their cargo?

— Yoni Mazuz (@yonatron) December 2, 2013

Presumably any good delivery drone would be equipped with impressive self-defense capabilities.

Though there are no doubt many wrinkles in the plan that Amazon.com will have to iron out, we do hope Bezos considers this idea:

Amazon should make the drones look like storks, and put the packages in white nappies.

— Sarma Melngailis (@sarma) December 2, 2013

Yes!