College Student Receives Wrong Package In Mail, Turns Out To Be $350K Military Drone

Dillon Cheverere11 years ago

A college student, who is also Reddit user Seventy_Seven, ordered a weight bench for UPS to deliver to him. It arrived, along with a military grade drone. The drone, identified as a Puma AE unmanned aircraft system, is a $350,000 piece of equipment, which originated from MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla. Its intended destination was Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary in Massachusetts. The Puma is owned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and is commonly used to “measure ocean debris, conduct seabird surveys, and monitor ocean habitats.”

It didn’t make it to Massachusetts. Instead, it ended up in the hands of Joe College Student, who, thankfully, is responsible and didn’t attempt to take the drone out for a cruise around campus as other Reddit users urged him to do. The website Vice contacted Seventy_Seven to get the scoop and ask him how he handled the situation.

From Vice:

“Just called UPS. They told me that it was one of the undelivered packages in their office, and asked if I’ve ever had an undelivered package. I said no, but he insisted that it was mine, and said that it was up to me if I want to keep it or not,” he wrote. “Nothing on the outside of the crate said it was government property. I had ordered a weightlifting bench (which I received) and this came with it. Both boxes has UPS labels with my name and address. Though an odd box, I genuinely thought it was parts for the bench I ordered, since I wasn’t expecting a freaking drone.”

Photos of the Puma:

The Puma in action:

Seventy_Seven has been in contact with the NOAA, and they are currently working together to get the Puma back in the right hands.

[via Vice, Reddit]