Just when we thought 2020 couldn’t get any weirder, Amazon was finally approved to launch its fleet of Prime Air delivery drones. While drones may seem like a new phenomenon, Amazon has been testing delivery drones since 2013, hoping to decrease their delivery time from days to minutes. While they have achieved one-day delivery, Amazon is still hoping to take to the skies and expand its Prime Air services.
Amazon has been training since August 2019, working hard to ensure that packages are delivered safely as well as on time. In their petition to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Amazon stated deliveries would only take place in lowly populated areas and packages would be 5 pounds or less.
While it may seem like an easy thing to do, Amazon has to follow very specific guidelines from the FAA. You can view them here. In order to obtain a certificate to fly, one must fulfill five phases of certification.
Wing, Google’s sibling company, obtained its certification to fly in April 2019, becoming the first commercial drone delivery service within the U.S. UPS has also been testing drones to transport medical supplies in North Carolina. While it has been a race to get to the skies, it now seems like it’ll be a race to see who is the first to implement the strategy nationally.
E-commerce is taking flight
Do you think drone deliveries are necessary or overkill? At what point will Amazon and consumers be satisfied that packages are arriving quickly enough? What would happen to the skies if multiple other companies are cleared to start deliveries via drones? What about the potential for accidents and injuries to people and/or property? We'd love to hear your thoughts! Email us: inquiries@ripcordbrands.com or give us a call: (303) 536-5505.
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