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 is launching its Prime Air drone delivery service later this year in Lockeford, California, delivering small household items (under 5 lbs) to customer backyards within an hour.
After nearly a decade of development, Amazon has secured an FAA Part 135 air carrier certificate and implemented an advanced "sense-and-avoid system" for safe, autonomous flight and obstacle detection.
The service aims to reduce carbon emissions, though it currently requires customers to have access to a clear backyard for deliveries.
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.
