Amazon launching drone delivery service in the UK next year

Amazon has announced it will be deploying a fleet of drones to be integrated into its same-day delivery service, set to launch next year – including one location in the UK.

The online retail and tech giant has confirmed its Prime Air drone delivery service will be coming to one location in the UK in late 2024, with the exact place to be revealed in the coming weeks.

The move is part of a wider expansion of retail delivery drones which have already been delivering in California and Texas for almost a year. The expansion will see the Prime Air service expand to a third state in the US and be introduced in Italy also.

The company previously trialled an earlier version of the drone system in Cambridgeshire back in 2016.

This time, instead of using standalone Prime Air drone delivery centres, Amazon will incorporate the drones into its existing delivery network.

About the expansion of Prime Air, a spokesperson for Amazon said: “As part of our continued efforts to innovate for customers, we are excited to announce the expansion of Prime Air delivery internationally, for the first time outside the US.

“We have been delivering packages by drone for almost a year in California and in Texas. We have built a safe, reliable delivery service and have partnered very closely with regulators and communities.

“We will continue with that collaboration into the future to ensure we are meeting the needs of our customers and the communities we serve.”

The tech giant has said it is working alongside the UK Government and aviation authorities to bring the new technology to UK air space.

Alongside the news, Amazon also unveiled its latest drone MK30 which will be able to fly in more diverse weather conditions and twice as far as previous Amazon Air models.

Aviation Minister Baroness Vere said: “Amazon’s announcement today is a fantastic example of government and industry coming together to achieve our shared vision for commercial drones to be commonplace in the UK by 2030.”

She added that it will boost the economy and give customers more choice while helping to keep the environment clean by using zero emission technology.

Head of Innovation Advisory Services at the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Frederic Laugere, said: “Exploring the options of how drones can be safely and successfully incorporated into more of the UK’s airspace is key.”