Amazon has taken a major step towards rolling out its drone delivery service across the UK after securing what it describes as the "world's first" safety authorisation. From Tuesday, around 8,000 households in the Darlington area will be able to receive Prime Air deliveries in under an hour.
Expansion from pilot to wider rollout
The service had previously been available to around 600 customers after a pilot was launched earlier this year, marking the first expansion outside the US. Amazon said it had secured a Sail 4 (Specific Assurance and Integrity Level 4) operating authorisation and flightworthiness validation from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
This authorisation means drones can fly further and across urban areas, laying the foundation for future expansion across the UK. Amazon began testing drone deliveries in Darlington earlier this year.
Safety standards and customer benefits
Theunis Scheepers, Amazon's director for Prime Air in Europe, said it was the "world's first Sail 4 approval from the UK CAA, a standard that sets a new benchmark for safety in drone aviation".
"From day one we worked backwards from the most demanding standards, and earning this took years of disciplined engineering and an unwavering commitment to safety," he said. "This is the foundation for the future of delivery, and for customers it means getting the things they need quickly, safely and reliably. This is just the beginning for Prime Air in the UK."
The service allows people to order a range of everyday items from the marketplace and have them delivered to their door in under an hour. It is part of the Amazon Prime membership, with no additional delivery fee, and customers can see which items are eligible as they shop and at the checkout.
Drone technology and limitations
As part of the limited launch in Darlington, Prime Air has been available to customers with a garden, yard or driveway for items that weigh less than 5lb and fit into a large shoebox. It had been operating a different CAA authorisation for flights in less densely populated areas.
Prime Air's all-electric drone, the MK30, has been built using machine-learning models to continuously monitor surroundings throughout each flight, recognising other aircraft, people, animals and physical obstacles. As it descends to deliver packages, the in-built systems identify and steer clear of hazards such as clotheslines and trampolines that would not appear on a satellite map. They are also designed to be quieter than a typical delivery, according to Amazon.
