Amazon revamps drone delivery system, new drones deliver dozens of packages to customers per day
Amazon's drone delivery service, which it first announced over a decade ago, is finally becoming a reality. At a facility in Arizona, a new 36kg drone is now delivering packages to real customers every day, delivering dozens of packages to customers a day, according to The New York Times.
Amazon Has Overhauled Its Drone Delivery. Will the Public Welcome It? - The New York Times
We Tried Amazon's New 1 Hour Drone Delivery | EP 114 - YouTube
Amazon launched its drone delivery plan, 'Amazon Prime Air,' in 2013. Jeff Bezos, who was Amazon's CEO at the time, set a goal of 'launching Amazon Prime Air within four to five years.'
Summary of 'Amazon Prime Air' where Amazon delivers to your home in 30 minutes from ordering by drone - GIGAZINE
However, due to the nature of using drones, Amazon Prime Air requires approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to operate, and approval was delayed until 2020 , making it seem like the service would be impossible to provide. However, after extensive testing, it was launched in some areas in 2022, and in November 2024, it was launched in West Valley, Arizona, the third location in the United States.
Amazon's drone delivery service 'Prime Air' launches in Arizona's West Valley - GIGAZINE
The New York Times visited Amazon's facility in Goodyear, Arizona, to take a look at the new drone 'MK-30' that will be used for Amazon Prime Air.
The MK-30 is a large white drone with six three-bladed rotors, weighs approximately 36 kg, and can reach speeds of up to 117 km/h.
When an order is received, a worker in the warehouse packs the product into a specially padded box and transports it on a conveyor belt. Another worker then carries the box to the drone takeoff and landing area, places it in a size checker, and hands it over to a worker inside the fence. After the box is loaded onto the drone, a 30-second countdown begins, and the drone ascends to an altitude of about 120 meters and heads off to its destination.
The drone will drop the package in the delivery destination's yard.
As a service limitation, only about 60,000 items weighing 5 pounds or less are currently eligible, and only one item can be delivered at a time. According to The New York Times, the MK-30 is already delivering dozens of packages a day in the western Phoenix area of Arizona, but this delivery volume is 'only a small fraction of what a normal delivery vehicle can carry.' In addition, only seven aircraft can depart from the facility per hour, and no overnight deliveries are made. Shipping costs an additional $9.99 for Prime members and $14.99 for non-members.
The initial promise of 'delivery within 30 minutes' has now been relaxed to within an hour, but the company plans to accommodate simultaneous delivery of multiple items from 2025. Amazon aims to deliver 500 million packages per year within 30 minutes by 2029, and claims to have made several thousand deliveries by drone in Arizona and Texas.
However, the MK-30 has a noise problem. Amazon says it's 'much quieter,' but as you can see from the movie, the sound it makes is quite loud. There are also weather restrictions, and it can only be operated when the sky is clear and sunny.
In addition, drones require about three square meters of open space to take off and land, and there are restrictions on where they can be delivered. Furthermore, people are very anxious and wary of drones, making it difficult to gain the understanding of residents, The New York Times points out.
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