Amazon launches drone delivery services in California and Texas

The goal of Amazon Prime Air is to get packages to their destination within 60 minutes.

Amazon has made a successful start to delivering packages via drone in Lockeford, California and College Station, Texas. The service, called Amazon Prime Air, was approved by the Federal Aviation Administration in August and is now being used to deliver a limited number of packages in time for the holiday season. The maximum weight that can be carried by a Prime Air drone is 5 pounds, and according to Amazon, the majority of its shipments fall within this weight range.

Amazon has announced the expansion of its Prime Air drone delivery service to two new towns in the US: Lockeford, California and College Station, Texas. Customers in these areas can now sign up for the service, which will confirm that delivery to their address is possible. When an order is placed, the customer will receive an estimated delivery time and tracking information.

The drones, which are hexagonal with six propellers and designed to minimize high-frequency sound waves, will fly autonomously to the designated delivery location, descend to the customer's backyard, and hover at a safe height before releasing the package and returning to altitude. Although the drones fly independently, Amazon is currently monitoring deliveries with human oversight to prioritize safety. The company plans to gradually expand the service to more customers over time.