Amazon to deliver by drone in UK in 2024

Amazon is set to revolutionize delivery in the United Kingdom by launching a drone delivery service by the close of 2024. This innovative service, known as Prime Air, will swiftly transport packages weighing less than five pounds to locations within a one-hour radius of its base. Amazon’s initial deployment will commence in a single location, with plans for expansion to cover more areas. Customers will have access to a vast selection of “thousands” of eligible items for this rapid delivery service.

These deliveries will be facilitated by Amazon’s cutting-edge MK30 drones, which boast quieter operation compared to previous test models. These drones have an extended range, capable of flying twice as far, and can navigate a wider range of weather conditions, including light rain and varying temperatures. What’s more, the drones are equipped with advanced sensors designed to identify and avoid obstacles within the delivery area. This technology can even detect objects that may have appeared overnight, such as a newly planted tree or a mobile crane that has moved into its flight path.

This service is part of a series of trials in the UK, exploring the possibilities of flying drones beyond the line of sight of the person controlling them. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will conduct these tests to evaluate the safe and successful integration of drones into a larger portion of the UK’s airspace.

This significant development comes a decade after Amazon’s founder, Jeff Bezos, first announced the company’s work on delivery drones in 2013. While a trial took place in 2016 at a lab in Cambridge, it had limited adoption. Currently, Amazon offers restricted drone deliveries in select cities in California and Texas. Beyond the UK, Amazon has plans to expand its drone service to another US city and Italy by the end of the upcoming year.

Meanwhile, Google’s competing drone service, Wing, is already operational in Ireland and intends to extend its services to the UK, further highlighting the growing importance of drone-based deliveries in the future.