Amazon drone delivery continues to morph as the online retail giant tests the service on a still-limited basis. The company announced new expansion plans on April 22, naming the West Valley Phoenix Metro Area its next staging location.
Drone service in Arizona will arrive as Amazon shuts down existing operations in Lockeford, California, where it began using drones in 2022.
Amazon is No. 1 in the Top 1000. The database is Digital Commerce 360’s ranking of the largest North American online retailers. Amazon is also No. 3 in the Global Online Marketplaces database, which ranks the 100 largest global marketplaces.
Amazon drone delivery in Arizona
“With this new location, we’ll be fully integrated into Amazon’s delivery network, meaning, for the first time, drones will deploy from facilities next to our Same-Day Delivery site in Tolleson[, Arizona],” Amazon revealed in a blog post. “These smaller sites are hybrid — part fulfillment center, part delivery station. They allow us to fulfill, sort, and deliver products all from one site so we can get packages out to our customers even quicker.”
Amazon indicated that its same-day delivery sites are positioned in close proximity to metro areas being served. These placements, in tandem with nearby Amazon fulfillment centers, enable the company “to offer Same-Day Delivery on millions of items,” according to the blog post.
Amazon does not yet have the permissions required to launch the service in Tolleson, though it expects to be able to do so before the end of 2024. That rollout will involve marketing to regional residents detailing availability after necessary approvals arrive from the Federal Aviation Administration.
“As Amazon embarks on the national expansion of its Amazon Drone Delivery Program, we’re proud to have their innovative presence in our community,” said Juan F. Rodriguez, mayor of Tolleson, in a released statement. “By bringing this service to new communities, they’re not just delivering goods; they’re delivering opportunities and economic growth for all.”
Amazon’s existing drone delivery operations
As it ends drone delivery in California, Amazon committed to keeping the service alive in College Station, Texas. So far, it says the limited program has been able to deliver “thousands of items to customers in less than an hour.”
In the meantime, the company left the door open to adding “further U.S. locations in 2025.” Its new MK30 drone, capable of delivering packages weighing up to 5 pounds, is expected to begin service in 2024. The model will have twice the range of Amazon’s current delivery drones, in addition to being quieter and capable of flying in light rain.
In January, Amazon revealed that its fastest recorded drone delivery to date occurred in December 2023, arriving in 15 minutes and 29 seconds from College Station, Texas.
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