Amazon Ramps Up Drone Delivery, Targeting 1M Orders

Amazon's long-teased drone dream is about to get a major stress test. The company says its Prime Air service will reach nearly 500 US cities and towns by year's end, a sixfold jump from today's footprint that puts the company on track for a prestated goal of 1 million deliveries in 2026, reports CNBC, citing an Amazon blog post. Amazon now makes thousands of drone drops a day and says some orders have arrived just minutes after checkout, typically within about an hour.

Some of the drawbacks, per the AP: Drones can only carry packages weighing up to 5 pounds, and there are noise, privacy, and safety concerns. Plus, the drones "face countless challenges, from tree cover to landscaping and inflatable pools, that can make it hard to find a good drop zone," the outlet notes. Amazon is also testing a tether-based "gentle delivery" to handle fragile items like eggs.

The expansion follows a key regulatory clearance for longer-range flights but comes as the company trails Alphabet's Wing and Walmart partner Zipline, which have logged far more deliveries so far. Prime Air is also under scrutiny after crashes in Arizona, Texas, and the UK prompted safety investigations.