Amazon's UK drone delivery service has expanded to thousands of homes in Darlington, with 8,000 households in the County Durham town now able to receive Prime Air deliveries in under an hour. The retail giant has secured the "world's first" safety authorisation to operate the service.
Previously, the service was available to around 600 customers after a pilot launched earlier this year, marking the first expansion outside the US. Amazon has confirmed it has received a Sail 4 (Specific Assurance and Integrity Level 4) operating authorisation and flightworthiness validation from the Civil Aviation Authority.
Expansion and Safety Approval
This authorisation allows drones to fly further and across urban areas, laying the foundation for future expansion expected across the country. The service enables customers to order everyday items for delivery to their door, and it is part of the Prime membership with no additional fee.
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." He added, "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."
Service Details and Drone Technology
As part of the limited launch, Prime Air is available to customers with a garden, yard, or driveway, for items weighing less than 5lb that fit into a large shoebox. The all-electric MK30 drone is designed to be quieter than a typical delivery vehicle.
The drone uses machine-learning models to monitor its surroundings throughout each flight, recognising other aircraft, people, animals and physical obstacles. As it descends, in-built systems identify and steer clear of hazards that would not appear on a satellite map.
