Amazon has revealed its Prime Air drone delivery service is expanding to reach almost 500 towns and cities across the United States by the end of the year.
The service, which currently offers delivery as fast as 30 minutes, is currently available in 11 hubs, serving towns and cities within a 175 square mile radius. However, the forthcoming expansion is going to increase the footprint six-fold, giving access to tens of millions more consumers, Amazon says.
Right now Amazon offers drone deliveries in:
- Tolleson, Arizona (Phoenix metro area)
- Ruskin, Florida (Tampa metro area)
- Kansas City, Kansas
- Papillion, Nebraska (Omaha metro area)
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Hazel Park, Michigan (Detroit metro area)
- Pontiac, Michigan (Detroit metro area)
- Richmond, Texas (Houston metro area)
- San Antonio, Texas
- Richardson, Texas (Dallas metro area)
- Waco, Texas
However, the Prime Air expansion will soon launch in Chicago, Illinois; Syracuse, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Atlanta, Georgia; and Boise, Idaho metro areas. More communities are being added before year is out, but the company isn’t revealing those yet.
Of course, not all items are available for Drone Delivery, but if it’s 5lbs or less and can fit in a large shoebox, you’re in luck. Amazon says 60% of the most frequently ordered products available on its platform are eligible. Most orders arrive within an hour of checking out, and orders over £50 include free delivery for Prime members. The FAA approved delivery system makes used of automated systems including a bespoke Detect-And-Avoid System.
“It’s similar to a trained pilot who scans the surrounding airspace, and it allows the drones to independently see and make real-time decisions while in flight,” Amazon says in a blog post on Wednesday.
“Prime Air drones use onboard cameras and sensors for navigation, obstacle detection, and safe delivery; they do not track individuals or record movements. There is no live camera feed monitored by any person. The onboard camera data is processed by the drone itself for safe navigation.”
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