Amazon Expands Drone Delivery to Nearly 500 US Cities

Amazon is expanding its drone delivery service to nearly 500 US cities by year's end, aiming to deliver lightweight packages in as fast as 30 minutes. The company has already delivered hundreds of thousands of packages via drones this year and plans to serve communities with 30 million customers.

The expansion will intensify the competition between Amazon and Walmart, which offers drone delivery at over 75 stores across several states. Amazon's plan is not about cutting costs but rather providing faster delivery times to attract more shoppers.

Each drone can carry packages up to 5 pounds and will primarily fly in suburban areas, avoiding skyscrapers and major airports. The service will be free for Amazon Prime members ordering over $50 worth of goods, while non-members will pay $2.99 for smaller orders.