Amazon Drone Delivery Will Soon Land in Chicago Suburbs

Operation out of two fulfillment centers will carry items to customers within a 7.5 mile radius in under two hours.

Jack Daleo

Friday, February 13, 2026 at 03:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Amazon hopes to launch Prime Air drone delivery in the south suburbs of Chicago by late spring or early summer. [Credit: Amazon]

Key Takeaways:

Amazon's Prime Air drone delivery service is expanding to its largest market yet, launching in the south Chicago suburbs of Markham and Matteson by late spring or early summer, serving a 7.5-mile radius.
The FAA-certified MK30 drones can carry packages up to 5 pounds (covering most items), fly at 73 mph, and will initially complete deliveries in under two hours from dedicated on-site centers.
Community reactions are mixed, with some excited while others express concerns about privacy and peace, especially after several documented incidents in other markets, including crashes and package mishaps.
Amazon emphasizes its commitment to safety, stating it has rigorous procedures for incidents and quickly identifies and remedies problems, as demonstrated by a previous temporary pause in operations to address altitude sensor issues.

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Amazon’s Prime Air drone delivery service will soon expand to its largest market yet.

First reported by Crain’s Chicago Business, the logistics titan is planning to serve customers out of two fulfillment centers in the south Chicago suburbs of Markham and Matteson. Each site will have 12 to 20 drones. The company hopes to launch near the Windy City by late spring or early summer.