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Drone delivery is gaining regulatory traction, with DoorDash recently securing FAA approval for its own fleet, but a viral post-surgery moment from Conor McGregor gave the technology's payload handoff problem a global audience.
The 38-year-old UFC fighter, on crutches after knee surgery following a 69-second return at UFC 329, stood on a balcony trying to retrieve a Monster energy drink from a hovering drone.
What the video exposes The mechanism matters more than the celebrity. McGregor positioned himself on a balcony while the drone held position overhead, his drink tethered below and just out of reach.
He improvised, using his crutches as a makeshift arm extender. Some observers noted afterward that he was using the wrong end of the crutch, and that the hook end would have caught the tether.
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