Your Next Amazon Package Could Come From The Sky

The next time you’re waiting on an Amazon package, look up — it may be coming from the sky.

Amazon announced plans Wednesday to dramatically expand its Prime Air drone service to nearly 500 U.S. cities and towns by the end of the year.

The expansion would bring Amazon’s “ultrafast drone delivery” to communities with tens of millions of customers nationwide, the company said in a news release.

Amazon says Prime Air can deliver millions of popular products — including groceries, electronics, medications, cosmetics and household goods — in as little as 30 minutes. Most items weighing five pounds or less and small enough to fit in a large shoebox are eligible for drone delivery, according to the company.  

The service is already operating across 10 U.S. metro areas, including Phoenix, Tampa, Kansas City, Baton Rouge, Detroit, Omaha, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Waco.

Amazon also plans to launch Prime Air in the Atlanta, Chicago, Syracuse, Cleveland and Boise metro areas as part of the expansion. 

“Customers already turn to Amazon for fast Same- and Next-Day Delivery, and Prime Air provides them an even speedier option when they need it, with deliveries in as fast as 30 minutes,” David Carbon, vice president of Amazon Prime Air, said.

The drone service comes with a familiar user experience: Shoppers will use the same Amazon app and checkout process. Customers can see whether drone delivery is available in their area and which products are eligible. When placing their first drone order, customers can select a preferred delivery point and change it later. 

Upon arrival, the drone checks the delivery area for people, pets, or vehicles before delivering the package.

“Prime Air drones use onboard cameras and sensors for navigation, obstacle detection, and safe delivery; they do not track individuals or record movements,” the company said. “There is no live camera feed monitored by any person. The onboard camera data is processed by the drone itself for safe navigation.” 

Amazon says Prime Air operates under FAA Part 135 certification, the same regulatory framework used by commercial air carriers. Its drones are fully electric and designed to operate in light rain and a range of temperatures.