Amazon testing automated drone delivery for 2015 service

Amazon testing automated drone delivery for 2015 service

In an interview on Sunday, Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos revealed plans to develop a drone delivery service by 2015.

The drones, called Octocopters, will be able to carry packages weighing up to 2.3 kg and deliver them to customers within 30 minutes of them placing their order.“I know this looks like science fiction, but it’s not,” said Mr Bezos.“One day, Prime Air vehicles will be as normal as seeing mail trucks on the road today,” he added.

The service, called Amazon Prime Air, will be ready and available in the US by 2015. Amazon, however, has already posted a video on YouTube showing how the service will work. The video shows a package being pulled off the lines by an Octocopter and then, using GPS, it is directed to the delivery address.

Despite the video showing the entire process, many questions are still left unanswered.

For the service to be launched, Amazon will have to guarantee the absolute security of the goods during the transit to minimise the risk of injuring people, especially in densely populated towns and cities where drones are currently not authorised to fly.

The main question, however, remains whether Amazon will get the necessary permissions from US regulators. At the moment the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved the use of drones for police and government agencies, issuing about 1,400 permits over the past several years. Civilian air space, however, is still closed to all kinds of drones, both in the US and in Europe.

On this matter, Amazon released a statement on the company’s website, saying: “From a technology point of view, we’ll be ready to enter commercial operations as soon as the necessary regulations are in place. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is actively working on rules for unmanned aerial vehicles.”

Camilla Capasso

More in Archive

Spring stirrings: Why the season of bloom turns people a bit randy

The editorial unit

The London Pet Show: 9th-10th May

The editorial unit

Bourne and Hollingsworth presents: A Grimm Halloween Party

Georgia Mizen

ArchWay With Words 2014 hits north London with aplomb

Georgia Mizen

London Coffee Festival returns to the Old Truman Brewery

Rita Vicinanza

Manomai: skincare based on your blood type

Isabella Stockwell

Bring the sunshine into your daily beauty routine with Acqua di Parma

Adrienn Bardossy

Royal Mail to axe 1,600 jobs to cut costs

Vincent Manancourt

Easy steps to get that summer beach body in no time

Paulina Siedlecka