AmazonAn Amazon Prime Air drone’s view of the world.
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The video features former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson, who will launch a new motoring show on Amazon Video next year. The drone delivers the package in the family’s backyard, then quickly rises up vertically and flies away from the spacious, quiet neighborhood.
Amazon is designing several drone prototypes for different delivery environments, according to the video, which includes aerial footage of a new drone demonstrating how delivery may work in a “story from the not-too-distant future”.
Prime Air drones fly as high as 400 feet and also have “sense and avoid” technology that can determine what’s around them in the sky and on the ground.
The online retailer that allows you to buy pretty much everything may soon be able to deliver everything a lot faster.
The company has developed more than a dozen prototypes in its research and development labs. Amazon says delivery by drone will begin when it has the necessary “regulatory support”.
Amazon has not given a time frame on when Prime Air services would be made available. This particular drone has a range of about 15 miles, and that likely means round trip.
Amazon drone deliveries – called Prime Air – have been in the pipeline for some time, but have been held up by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the US.
When Amazon first made its drone delivery aspirations public, people balked at the idea-much like they did when the company announced the Jetsons-inspired Dash button earlier this year.
It’s been reported [pay wall] that Clarkson and his production team signed a US$250m, three-season deal with Amazon.
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The company says it have Prime Air development centers in the United States, United Kingdom and Israel where it is building and testing the drones.
