Amazon Drone Deliveries Set to Reach 500 US Cities by Year-End
Amazon is expanding its drone delivery service to nearly 500 US cities and towns by the end of this year, increasing its coverage sixfold from current levels. The expansion comes as Prime Air deliveries are set to launch in five new metro areas: Chicago, Illinois; Syracuse, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Atlanta, Georgia; and Boise, Idaho.
The service will join 11 locations across the US where Amazon already offers drone deliveries, each serving an area of approximately 175 square miles. Prime Air aims to quickly deliver packages weighing up to 5 pounds or less, with most orders arriving around 60 minutes after checkout.
Amazon has already delivered 'hundreds of thousands' of packages via Prime Air this year, according to Vice President David Carbon. The company is also highlighting its drone safety features, including the 'industry-leading Detect-and-Avoid system.'