Amazon has just released a new drone for Prime Air. Prime Air is a kind of delivery service which online shoppers can choose if they need their package delivered within the day. The company stated that the small drones can deliver quickly even in less than 30 minutes. Just take note: this service is weight restricted. It is only available for packages that weigh a total of 5 lbs. (2.3 kg) or less, according to Live Science.
These new UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicle) are incorporated with a "sense-and-avoid" technology. This means that these drones are capable of flying safely even without being monitored by an operator. The delivery vehicles can also carry the parcels to customers so long as the destination is within a 10-mile radius of an Amazon warehouse.
There are now countries where these Prime Air vehicles are being evaluated. Namely: the United States, the United Kingdom, and Israel. Before this innovative technology actually takes place, it will need to be supported by the big three.
Last April, Amazon was given permission to test the drones in the United States. However, there were some terms from the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration). The organization required Amazon to test the vehicles only at altitudes not exceeding 400 feet. The UAVs should also remain at a speed of 100mph and within the operator's line of sight.
There are additional regulations from the FAA and these are similar for other commercial drone operators. Last February, the FAA had a set of rules that the drones should only weigh 25 lbs, must fly not higher than 500 feet, and remain in areas where pilots can see the flying vehicles.
Amazon did not set a date when these drones can finally take off and deliver actual packages but the website says that seeing drones for Prime Air will soon be as "as normal as seeing mail trucks on the road."
