Prime Air takes flight: Amazon deploys delivery drones across Italy, UK and US with machine upgrades

19 Aug 2024 --- Amazon is deploying a fleet of delivery drones in Italy, the UK and an additional US city, which will be in flight before the end of this year. The Prime Air system has already been operating for nearly a year in the US, where the machines have been delivering packages weighing up to five pounds in one hour or less. 

Once available in the new territories, eligible Amazon customers can opt in to drone delivery and choose from thousands of items that weigh five pounds or less — including household products, everyday essentials, beauty items and office or tech supplies.

Drone delivery will no longer only take place out of stand-alone Prime Air Delivery Centers. Moving forward, Amazon will integrate drones into its delivery network, so customers will have traditional delivery vans, Flex delivery vehicles and Prime Air drones leaving from the same building.

In Italy and the UK, the e-retailer will start integrating its drone system with one site in each location and expand over time.

“We’ve also taken great care to ensure that our drones’ design philosophy and demonstrated levels of safety are setting a higher bar for safety across the commercial drone delivery industry, working closely with regulators to design to the highest standard set within those regulations,” states the company.

In Italy and the UK, the e-retailer will start integrating its drone system with one site in each location and expand over time.

New MK30 drone unveiled

In addition to the new delivery sites, Amazon is unveiling the new MK30 drone design, which is quieter, smaller and lighter, than previous models.

Amazon’s newest drone, the MK30, can fly twice as far as previous Prime Air drone models, which allows the e-commerce giant to deliver to customers who live farther out from our fulfillment networks. 

The MK30 is quieter and will be able to fly in more diverse weather conditions — meaning customers can access quick deliveries even in situations like light rain, and hotter and colder temperatures. The drones have a unique package delivery system, where packages are held inside the machines during transit to protect their contents.

Like previous models, the MK30 will operate safely and autonomously and are equipped with “sense and avoid” technology, which allows the drone to identify and avoid obstacles in the delivery area. 

The system can detect objects that were not there the day before, such as a freshly planted tree, or a mobile crane that has moved into its path.

Working with policymakers

Amazon has been working closely with regulators and governments around the world to expand drone delivery.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority is now conducting tests of Amazon’s drone use, which include inspections of its system’s infrastructure, emergency services and flights to remote locations. This is done under a new UK Civil Aviation Authority scheme.

The trials will gather key safety data, such as how drones detect and avoid other aircraft, the electronic signals they can send to be able to be visible to other airspace users and air traffic control.

This will support the regulator’s ongoing development of policy and regulations so that drone flights can be fully integrated with other airspace users.

Amazon’s newest drone, the MK30, can fly twice as far as previous Prime Air drone models.“Amazon’s announcement today is a fantastic example of government and industry coming together to achieve our shared vision for commercial drones to be commonplace in the UK by 2030,” says Aviation Minister Baroness Vere.

“Not only will this help boost the economy, offering consumers even more choice while helping keep the environment clean with zero emission technology, but it will also build our understanding how to best use the new technology safely and securely.”

The UK regulator aims to help safely integrate drones flying beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) of their operator into UK airspace, helping make this “vital extension to drone flying an everyday reality.”

BVLOS flights will be carried out at distances beyond the operator’s ability to see the drone. These flights use advanced technologies for navigation, control and to detect other aircraft.

“Exploring the options of how drones can be safely and successfully incorporated into more of the UK’s airspace is key,” comments Frederic Laugere, head of Innovation Advisory Services at the UK Civil Aviation Authority.

“It is vital that projects such as this take place to feed into the overall knowledge and experiences that will soon enable drones to be operating beyond the line of sight of their pilot on a day-to-day basis, while also still allowing safe and equitable use of the air by other users.”