Amazon Shows off New Delivery Drones at Re: Mars
The future of Amazon drone delivery is here. The online shipping giant showed off their latest drone delivery system at its own conference in Las Vegas this week. The unusual drone is set to be able to deliver packages to customers within 30 minutes, Amazon said at the presentation.
When the delivery service will be set in motion is still unclear, but is likely to be before the end of the year. The self-piloted drones will use computer vision and machine learning to detect and avoid people or obstacles such as clotheslines when landing.
“From paragliders to power lines to a corgi in the backyard, the brain of the drone has safety covered,” said Jeff Wilke, who oversees Amazon’s retail business.
The drones are fully electric and have a range of 24 km and carry a maximum weight of 2.3kg, suitable for delivering toiletries or small books. It feels like we have been waiting for Amazon to finally get drone delivery for months.
The global company has experimented with the idea for years and says it has been working with regulatory officials to make their dream a reality.
In recent months, several drone delivery services have won Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval. Drones are being used in some parts of the world to deliver emergency medicine and other services.