Delivery by drone has landed

CNN reports that Amazon received a Part 135 air carrier certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration in August 2020.

This certificate enables Amazon to perform deliveries using delivery drones.

Transmetrics accounts that over the past decade, drones have evolved from an underdeveloped pipe dream to being on the cusp of its own mainstream logistics sector. Drones, known more formally as unmanned aerial vehicles (AEVs), are small, autonomous robots that can be controlled either remotely or by following an internal flight path on its own.

Transmetrics says that, as sustainable last-mile delivery has become a topic of increased focus in logistics over the past few years, more companies have started looking towards drones as a cost-effective, environmentally friendly answer. As much as 50% of a shipment’s total distribution costs can be attributed to the last mile of the delivery – this cost could be substantially reduced by using commercial drones. McKinsey predicts that AEVs, including delivery drones, will make up to 80% of deliveries in the future.

Amazon is said to have validated more than 500 safety and efficiency processes as part of its application for the certificate. David Carbon, the leader of Amazon’s drone program, said that the company will continue to develop and refine their technology to fully integrate delivery drones into the airspace, and work closely with the FAA and other regulators around the world to realise their vision of 30-minute delivery.

Jeff Bezos, Amazon CEO, first announced the company’s plans to use drones to make deliveries in 30 minutes or less in December 2013. Amazon says that it has test centres in the United States and around the world and has logged thousands of flight hours.

Amazon is only the third company to receive the all-clear to launch a drone delivery service after Wing and UPS, which received their clearance in 2019. CNN reports that UPS has made medical deliveries at two North Carolina hospitals and is also delivering prescriptions by way of delivery drones.

Watch the video of Amazon’s delivery drones below.

The information contained in this article is of a general nature and intended for information purposes only.