Amazon’s latest delivery drone prototype, MK27-2 includes a hexagonal design for stability. Its proprotors have been specifically designed to minimize high-frequency soundwaves. [Courtesy: Amazon]
Key Takeaways:
Amazon Prime Air drone delivery service is set to launch later this year in Lockeford, California.
The service will deliver small items (under five pounds) to customers' backyards in less than an hour, utilizing drones equipped with a "sense-and-avoid system" for safe operations.
After nearly a decade of development, Amazon has secured an FAA Part 135 air carrier certificate, making it one of only three companies with this advanced drone delivery capability.
Thom is a former senior editor for FLYING. Previously, his freelance reporting appeared in aviation industry magazines. Thom also spent three decades as a TV and digital journalist at CNN’s bureaus in Washington and Atlanta, eventually specializing in aviation. He has reported from air shows in Oshkosh, Farnborough and Paris. Follow Thom on Twitter @thompatterson.
