Amazon has delivered its first parcel by drone in the UK – dropping a small item into a customer’s front garden less than two hours after they ordered it.
The tech giant is trialling the new ultra-fast delivery service called Prime Air in Darlington, County Durham.
Packages must weigh less than 5lb or 2.2kg and fit into the size of a shoebox to be eligible for drone delivery.
Customers must also have a garden or yard for the parcel to be dropped off in and live within a 7.5-mile radius of Amazon’s fulfilment centre.
While drone delivery is presently only available in Darlington, Amazon hopes to gradually expand the service to other parts of the UK.
The tech giant is using its most modern drone, the MK30, to deliver customers’ parcels.
The aircraft are fitted with sensors that recognise and avoid any obstructions in its path, such as trampolines, washing lines and other drones.
As the drone approaches each drop-off point, it knows precisely where to release the package using GPS.
The parcels, which must contain everyday items such as beauty products or batteries, are dropped from a height of 12 feet into the customers’ garden or yard.
In the UK, Amazon can deliver parcels by drone in under two hours.
However, in the US, where the system is already used across five states, the average time is just 36 minutes.
The tech giant can carry out up to ten drone flights every hour or as many as one hundred deliveries a day from Monday to Friday.
David Carbon from Prime Air said: ‘Starting flights in Darlington marks an important milestone in bringing drone delivery to the UK.
‘Safety is our top priority, and we have worked closely with Darlington Council and the Civil Aviation Authority.
‘Our MK30 drones are designed to operate quietly and efficiently.
‘We look forward to demonstrating how this innovative technology can serve the people of Darlington while maintaining the highest safety standards.’
Rob Shield allowed Amazon to test the drones for the first time on his property using an Airbnb.
He told the BBC: ‘Initially it was a novelty, so we were ordering everything under the sun. Pens, paper, chocolates – anything to make it keep coming.
‘Since then, you obviously start realising “I actually need something today” like tape measures and stuff like that, you’re always losing – we just order it, and it comes.’
The NHS is already trialling the use of drones to deliver blood supplies in London.
Meanwhile, the Royal Mail has begun using the aircraft to dispatch packages to remote communities in Orkney.
I mean, what could possibly go wrong? People are already unemployed, and now there will be more jobless people because, of course, AI is so much better than human contact, and the incessant buzzing of drones will destroy any peace that is left – this will change the landscape permanently. Small children and animals were not injured during this delivery, not this time anyhow!
I’m sure they will be useful for condoms if they deliver at night – what will it be next, robot nail trimming and hair cutting!
THE MONTHLY MOSQUITO 