BitDrop (or ShadyDeliveryNetwork), a non-robotic courier system

[Nefario]

Mentioned  here by skittixch in a little detail is a really innovative idea for a delivery network that I think deserves some more attention.

Since the thread it was posted in was for a robotic delivery network, it's not being discussed more.

The post below

Personally, I love the idea of flying, autonomous delivery services as much as the next guy, but I think this conversation needs some re-alignment.  The issue more presently at hand is that of a lack of decentralized distribution services.  I had an idea for such a system.

BitDrop.

Bitdrop would be a system for human "runners" to pass goods from person to person in the most cryptographically secure way possible.

Person A negotiates a sale of an item to person B online.
Upon deciding on BitDrop as means of distribution, distance would be calculated and current gas prices would be tabulated.  This is the base shipping cost.

Person A types in their "willing to travel" radius, and, the machine would chew on the data and randomly/securely spit back out an exact lat-lon point within that radius.

A nearby runner gets notified that a package is ready for distribution.  He's signed up with his own "willing to travel" radius as well.  Ideally, if there are enough warm bodies in the chain, the venn diagrams all start overlapping, and form a human supply chain.

Upon the completed transaction, all runners in the chain would receive good feedback (ideas for delivery confirmation? sms? scanned qr codes?), and get higher GPG rankings, which would enable them to deliver goods that had been marked with higher trust requirements...and likewise, the more you're trusted in in the chain, the more the runners can charge.  Seller wants to sell something of importance/high value? they can raise the trust threshold (and subsequently, the shipping rate)

As far as black market goods go, I've thought of this scenario.  The TOS for bitdrop would state specifically that transfer of illegal goods is strictly prohibited; however, you may anonymously mark your package "shaded" if you feel the contents pose risk for any member of the chain, including senders, receivers and most importantly, runners.  Shaded goods may be distributed exclusively via dead drops, and runners can opt into notifications of shaded packages, but only after a GPG trust threshold is passed, so a significant time expenditure is required before you go "googling for drugs".  You basically knowingly waive your rights when you deal with shaded transacations. That being said, I'm sure it would turn into a profitable venture for risk-takers, while keeping clean runners away from things that could land them in jail for trafficking.

There are other details I've thought of, including the distinction between dead drops and trusted drops.  Dead drops would be entry-points into the runner market.  Let's say I want to make some extra money, and I want to sign up as a runner.  I go to the bitdrop site and sign up for an entry-level position.  This requires that I pledge a deposit for the first item I'll deliver. This means that new runners will mainly focus on delivering items of little value.  It's a Low-risk, low-return scenario for everybody involved with the transaction.  Once I, the runner, complete my transaction, the deposit is returned to my account, as well as the base shipping cost + small delivery fee.  Part of becoming a runner is setting up GPG-Authentication. The buyer and seller then add ratings to my transaction, and after a threshold is reached, I'm allowed to forego placing a deposit on items of certain values or lower.  Eventually, dead drops would give way of chains with "trusted drops", where people who've established their trust arrange meetups based on encrypted lat-lon values and anonymous instructions. The specifics should be debated about at length to promote the safety and longevity of the chain Smiley

I don't expect my first ramblings to be the end-all-be-all of this system, but unless I'm way off base, I think the concept has potential.  I actually wrote up an extensive post detailing this idea yesterday, and stupidly hit f5 before I sent it, erasing my whole post instantly...  I'd love to hear feedback and concerns.

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[LZ]

If it will be done I will say "cyberpunk is now".

[AmpEater]

I want to be a runner. I have small, quiet, incredibly fast and highly efficient electrically powered bicycles, trikes, scooters, motorcycles sitting around all charged up ready for action. I can travel by road, sidewalk, dirt path, with or without signaling lighting activated depending on situation.  Plus I dictate my own schedule, and often find myself making short excursions late at night around my town just for fun. I'll often message GPS coordinates for friends to meet me. Sounds like a great way to make some money while getting out into the world.

I know more than one pizza/chinese delivery boy that sits idle most of the time in our small town. No reason they couldn't be "on call" for more than one service at once, even combining trips if convenient

[Vasco]

This seems like a great service. I especially like the idea of recruiting idle delivery people.

[benjamindees]

Hmm I need to rent Johnny Mnemonic.

[Nefario]

Hmm I need to rent Johnny Mnemonic.

Oh yeah! (that was such a cool idea, but such a terrible movie).

[skittixch]

!  I'm very happy this thread popped up!  Thanks Nefario!   I really do think with a little love, this idea could bring about great things...it seems like it should start with a bounty for a proof of concept, then a site, and a city-by-city trial period...

I'm no coder, and I don't have the time or experience to spearhead something of this complexity, but I really appreciate you taking my idea and giving it to more eyeballs. 

[grue]

This would be great in the summer, where i'm super bored. :p

[Nefario]

!  I'm very happy this thread popped up!  Thanks Nefario!   I really do think with a little love, this idea could bring about great things...it seems like it should start with a bounty for a proof of concept, then a site, and a city-by-city trial period...

I'm no coder, and I don't have the time or experience to spearhead something of this complexity, but I really appreciate you taking my idea and giving it to more eyeballs. 

I'm going to be doing something with this(coding it up), I've spent quite a bit of time thinking about it, and I've got a lot to add (will over the next few days, busy now).

Can't start right now on development, currently doing bitcoin stock market, and there is a pre-requisit of a reputation system (which I've also got figured out and is my next mission) before something like this could be done.

It's going to be done, hopefully before the full summer kicks in.

[Nefario]

This would be great in the summer, where i'm super bored. :p

Exactly, also, I envision lots of kids, think 10-15 years old who aren't allowed to work doing deliveries or collections on bikes 2-3miles from their home.

I remember when I was 12,13, bored, no money, and not allowed to work (what a load of rubbish that is). This is a going to be a great way for them to earn bitcoin.

[bitjet]

Im into this. I would be very interested in being involved.

[skittixch]

you guys are seriously making my week  (and it's just getting started!)  Nefario, please let me know if I can help out at all.  I'm all ears.

[bober182]

Down to be a runner in my area can carry anything and have certain experience doing it already.
During the summer we had this local wargame with about 100 people playing and i was one of the messengers.
shit was so cash.

[Nefario]

Down to be a runner in my area can carry anything and have certain experience doing it already.
During the summer we had this local wargame with about 100 people playing and i was one of the messengers.
shit was so cash.

Did you get chased do this or shot at(bb gun, paintball gun?)?

Sounds like a lot of fun.

[BitterTea]

Nefario,

I'd be interested in doing some coding for this project. I'm new to Python (I assume you'd use the same language), but not to the programming world.

[Nefario]

BitDrop implementation

Along with the initial idea (the subject of this post) some extra details.

1)Use Tor style onion routing to deliver packages.

What does this mean?

Every node(person doing delivery) must have a gpg key.
When a new package is to be entered into the system the sytem works out the route, selecting the appropriate nodes.

It then uses the nodes public key to encrypt the nodes delivery location.
The result is that each node can only know the location they deliver to and not the final destination of the package. If geocaching is used then each node doesn't even know who the previous node was.


Example.
Person in New York wants to deliver a package to Washington D.C.
Logs into the system, gives the pickup(either someone comes to collect the package, or the user delivers it to the first drop off point), and the final destination.

The system works out the optimal route, notifies all the soon to be involved nodes, and gives the user the first drop off point for the package (or someone will come and collect it).

The person who collects the package first is the first node, the only information they have been given is where to collect the package and where to deliver it to, the next location is the collection point for the next node and so on.

The result is each node knows only a portion of the route, it increases privacy, and the strngth of the delivery network.

I'm also thinking of having an android app that each node can use to sign the delivery of the package to the next node (using gpg), so if something happens to the package we know who's responsible, it also allows some measure of package tracking for the customer.

Each node gets a portion of the overall payment for it's delivery.

[HostFat]

Great! Anyway this should be an "option".
So it will be possible to chose the level of security, and also "drone" should have the possibility to chose to be a tor-like drone or not.

Example: I'm a drone, but today I just want to take flowers/pizza/cake/... things

Sorry for my bad english, I hope that you understood my idea ...

[Nefario]

Great! Anyway this should be an "option".
So it will be possible to chose the level of security, and also "drone" should have the possibility to chose to be a tor-like drone or not.

Example: I'm a drone, but today I just want to take flowers/pizza/cake/... things

Sorry for my bad english, I hope that you understood my idea ...

I think I understand what you're saying.

You would like to be able to opt-out of packages that are risky(unknown, possible illegal contents), this can be done.

If someone wants package privacy then it's marked as a dark package, and only nodes(couriers) who have said they will accept dark packages will get it. Normal packages get inspected and signed off by the first delivery node, or something like that.

Dark packets because they are higher risk cost more, someone willing to deliver them can charge more.

Right?

[HostFat]

Yes! You have understood perfectly

[TiagoTiago]

This system needs Faith