Amazon Scales Drone Deliveries to Hundreds of U.S. Cities
Amazon plans to expand its Prime Air drone delivery network to nearly 500 cities and towns across the United States by year-end. This sixfold increase in coverage targets major metropolitan areas including Chicago, Atlanta, and Cleveland, as the retail giant pushes to normalize autonomous package delivery for small-parcel logistics.
The expansion builds on an existing footprint of 11 locations, each serving a radius of approximately 175 square miles. According to David Carbon, vice president of Prime Air, the service has already completed hundreds of thousands of deliveries this year, typically reaching doorsteps within 60 minutes of checkout for items weighing up to 5 pounds. The company intends to add more communities to the roster in the coming months.
Alongside the rollout, Amazon is emphasizing its proprietary Detect-and-Avoid system. This focus on safety protocols arrives as the company faces ongoing scrutiny following a series of high-profile incidents involving drone collisions with infrastructure, including cranes, utility lines, and residential buildings. The technology remains central to winning over local authorities and residents in the new expansion markets.
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