Almost 10 years after Jeff Bezos first announced the potential of drone delivery, Amazon has declared that it is now ready to initiate the practice. This method of delivery will involve the physical release of packages from drones. This newest iteration of drones can deliver packages from a height of twelve feet above the ground.
Calsee Hendrickson, the head of product and program management for the Prime Air drone program, noted that if the drone encounters another aircraft while in flight, it will take evasive action. Furthermore, if a dog runs underneath the drone upon reaching its delivery location, the package will not be delivered.
Amazon’s Vice President of Prime Air, Sarah Hendrickson, revealed the company’s new drone, the MK27-2, to CNBC on Thursday. The drone is expected to begin making deliveries to the rural towns of Lockeford, California, and College Station, Texas, by the end of 2022. Despite some residents raising privacy and safety concerns, Amazon has assured the public that the drones are secure.
The drones are equipped with the capability to independently detect and react to potential threats while in the air, making them safe to fly. A drone recently registered a heat signature while in flight and wisely decided to return to base rather than deliver a package. Nevertheless, an operator is overseeing all drone operations to ensure safe and reliable drone flight.
The drone is fairly large, measuring five-and-a-half feet in diameter and weighing 80 pounds. It is designed to only transport lightweight items, with a maximum weight of five pounds. Items must be able to fit into a single box that is about the size of a standard shoe box.
The MK27-2 Prime Air drone is loaded with a single box of shoebox dimensions which it is able to accommodate.
The Amazon drone operator takes a shoebox-sized box and places it in the MK27-2 Prime Air drone, ensuring it is secure before the drone takes off.
Amazon is an online store that allows customers to purchase a variety of items from a variety of different vendors. Customers can choose from a wide range of products, from books and electronics to apparel and home goods. Amazon provides customers with convenient shopping options such as free shipping and easy returns. Customers can also access a variety of services such as Amazon Prime, which provides exclusive offers and discounts.
Hendrickson loaded the box into the back and fastened it securely, then the drone lifted off in a vertical direction, similar to a helicopter, with six propellers. It then rotated into a forward position, with the hexagonal shape around the drone working as its wings. According to Hendrickson, the drone flies at an approximate speed of 50mph. When it arrived at the delivery location, it descended in a vertical fashion, scanned the area to ensure safety, and then released the box from an altitude of 12 feet.
The drone has the capability to soar up to 12 kilometers roundtrip and is completely self-governing. In order for the drone to be able to drop the box, it requires enough room to move without any obstruction.
Amazon has announced that a large number of products can now be delivered via drones, representing only a fraction of the total items available on its online store.
Hendrickson mentioned that the products have been designed with care to guarantee their safe arrival, and to make sure that the items remain in perfect condition, they are packed in a special container. He showed the packaging in the background, which is designed to keep the products safe and undamaged during delivery.
Since its launch in 2013, Prime Air has made steady progress in its development process. In 2016, the company achieved a major milestone when it successfully completed a single drone delivery. Unfortunately, the company has since encountered challenges such as high employee turnover and drone crashes.
In August 2020, the Federal Aviation Administration authorized Amazon to use drones, which was a significant achievement.
Amazon declared the introduction of the MK30 model for the year 2024 on Thursday.
Amazon states that the MK30 is more diminutive and will be capable of producing 25% less sound than the MK27-2, and it can function in light precipitation.
