Amazon announces it will start using drones to deliver products in California later this year

Amazon announced on Monday that it will begin deploying Prime Air drones to deliver products in Lockeford, California, later this year. It will be the first time the corporation uses drones to deliver packages to customers in the United States.

The Federal Aviation Administration gave the company permission to fly drones in 2020, and other companies, such as Alphabet and Walmart, have already begun to make comparable flying deliveries.

In the United States, for example, Walmart’s drone delivery programme is available to more than 4 million households. In Australia, Alphabet’s Wing programme has started delivering meals and other items.

Amazon said it plans to deliver products by drone into the backyards of Lockeford, California homeowners — about 40 miles south of Sacramento — and would utilise customer input to improve the service. The drone technology, according to Amazon, can detect and fly around obstacles such as chimneys.

“It can also detect moving objects on the horizon, like other aircraft, even when it’s hard for people to see them,” Amazon explained. “If obstacles are identified, our drone will automatically change course to safely avoid them.” According to the business, the drone also ensures that no people, animals, or other obstacles are present at the delivery location.