Amazon Expands Drone Delivery Service Across US

Amazon has announced plans to expand its drone delivery service nationally, reaching nearly 500 cities and towns across the US by the end of this year. This marks a significant milestone for the company's Prime Air program, which was first unveiled in 2013 by founder Jeff Bezos.

The expansion will see Prime Air launch in several major metropolitan areas, including Chicago, Syracuse, Cleveland, Atlanta, and Boise. The drones will fly primarily over suburban areas to avoid crowded urban airspace, with delivery times of around 30 minutes or less. However, Amazon notes that most orders will take around an hour to arrive.

The company has also announced that drone delivery will be free for Prime members on orders of $50 or more, while customers without a membership will pay a fee of $4.99. The service is available for items weighing 5 pounds or less and small enough to fit in a large shoebox.

Amazon's expansion into drone delivery comes as the company faces competition from other retailers, including Walmart and Alphabet's Wing, which are also building their own drone delivery networks. Local approvals remain a hurdle for the service, with noise concerns raised by residents near drone operations.