Amazon Expands Drone Deliveries to Nearly 500 Cities Across the US

Amazon is expanding its drone delivery service, Prime Air, to nearly 500 cities across the country. The retail giant aims to deliver half a billion packages by the end of this decade, with an average delivery time of under 30 minutes.

The expanded service will be free for Amazon Prime members, while non-members will pay $4.99 per order, with a minimum order value of $50. Smaller orders will incur a $2.99 fee.

Drones will primarily fly in suburban areas, away from skyscrapers and major airports, with a maximum payload limit of five pounds per drone. This is in addition to noise ordinances and regulatory hurdles in each local community where Amazon operates.