Amazon is considering launching drone delivery in the UK and Italy.
Specifically, the well-known American company owned by billionaire Jeff Bezossaid it will introduce the new system in Britain and Italy “by the end of 2024.” Amazon began work on this project about a decade ago and hopes to be able to deliver 500 million packages via droneseach year by the end of the decade.
The new announcement came as Amazon unveiled its next-generation drones at its Seattle headquarters. David Carbon, Amazon’s vice president of Prime Air, said: “We are excited to announce the expansion of Prime Air delivery internationally, for the first time, outside the US.”
“We have created a safe, reliable service and have worked closely with regulators and communities.“.
The drone delivery service is currently available in a few areas of the U.S.Amazon plans to add more locations in the U.S. next year.
Amazon first outlined its plans for drone delivery in 2013. But progress has been slow. The Prime Air service launched late last year in select areas.
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Now, Amazon drones are said to have delivered “thousands” of packages.
In 2016, the company had conducted a small-scale drone delivery trial in the United Kingdom.
Delivering products to customers outside the U.S. would be a significant achievement. The company pledged to “start with one location” in the U.K. and Italy and “expand over time,” but no further details were provided.
The service will “start slowly,” Carbon added. “We’re really starting commercial service. The testing is done. We know the drone is good.”
The UK Transport Secretary said of the new delivery service: “Today’s announcement by Amazon is a fantastic example working together to achieve our shared vision of commercial drones being commonplace in the UK by 2030.”
In the UK, the Civil Aviation Authority sees Amazon's service as an opportunity to learn how drones can operate safely in the country's airspace.
On Tuesday, Amazon unveiled a new drone model – the MK30 – which it plans to put into operation immediately, for deliveries in the UK and Italy.
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Unlike the current drone used in Lockeford and College Station, which requires a special delivery pad with a QR code to deliver goods to customers, the MK30 does not need such a marker.
The drone is designed to fly in light rain and stronger winds, and can also fly at night. However, it needs permission from regulatory authorities to make such flights.
The company is ready to address any concerns regulators and customers have about safety . Carbon claimed that ordering an item delivered by Amazon's MK30 drones would be "hundreds of times safer" than driving to a store to buy it.
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Drones and Product Distribution
In this modern era, where technology is advancing at the speed of light, product delivery using drones is emerging as a welcome new vehicle in distribution. The search for more efficient and faster means of distribution has led to the exploration of this groundbreaking technology.
The possibilities are endless. Significant time savings on delivery routes and, in many cases, products can be shipped within minutes.
Drones have the ability to land and take off from almost any location, enabling more immediate and easier collection and delivery of goods.
At the same time, drones are more friendly environmentally compared to traditional delivery methods.
Source: www.theguardian.com
