Amazon Prime Air drones take flight in Phoenix, Ariz.

Retail e-commerce distributor Amazon recently began delivering packages via drone to the West Valley of the Phoenix, Ariz. Metro Area.

Customers who live near the same-day delivery site in Tolleson, Ariz. and purchase an eligible item weighing five pounds or less can have it delivered by drone in under an hour.

Since starting its Prime Air last mile delivery service in 2022, Amazon has delivered thousands of items to customers in less than an hour. In 2023, the e-commerce distributor also began delivering prescription medications in partnership with Amazon Pharmacy to customers in College Station, Texas.

Amazon said it had received great feedback from customers and communities through its service rollout.

Tolleson hybrid site supports fulfillment, sortation, delivery

With this new location, Amazon said it is fully integrating into its delivery network. For the first time, new MK30 drones will deploy from facilities next to the Tolleson same-day delivery site.

"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, Tolleson, Ariz. mayor. By bringing this service to new communities, they're not just delivering goods; they're delivering opportunities and economic growth for all.”

Amazon said its smaller same-day delivery sites operate as hybrids - part fulfillment center, part delivery station. They allow the company to fulfill, sort, and deliver products all from one site.

Same-day delivery sites are situated close to the large metro areas they serve, which Amazon said allows customers to get their orders faster. And with connections to the larger fulfillment centers nearby, the company can offer same-day delivery on millions of items.

50,000 products available for drone delivery

Amazon said safety is its top priority. The new MK30 drone has received FAA approval to begin operations to customers, including the ability to fly Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) using an on-board obstacle detection and avoidance system. The approval for a new drone system and a new operating location follows a rigorous FAA evaluation of the safety of Amazon’s systems and processes.

This approval allows Amazon to start making Prime Air deliveries to customers in the West Valley Phoenix Metro Area of Arizona. Customers will have access to the over 50,000 everyday retail products including household products, beauty items, and office and technology supplies. Amazon said the offerings comprise its largest selection of items ever available for fast drone delivery at a service fee, all while helping the company move towards zero-emisisons delivery goals.

“This kind of delivery is the future, and it’s exciting that it will be starting in the Phoenix Metro Area,” said Kate Gallego, Phoenix, Ariz. mayor. “The shift toward zero-emission package delivery will help us reduce local pollution and further cement our city as a hotbed for the innovative technology of tomorrow.”

MK30 passes aerospace-grade FAA certification

The Prime Air engineering team spent nearly two years developing the MK30 drone, designing it from scratch to include safety-critical features that allow it to deliver packages to customers with smaller backyards and in more densely populated suburban areas.

The MK30, which went through an aerospace-grade certification process in collaboration with the FAA, can fly twice as far as amazon’s previous drones, is about 50% quieter, and is built to fly in the rain.

Amazon put the MK30 drone through its paces at its indoor and outdoor test facilities, using the data from this process to demonstrate to regulators around the world the reliability of its system.

The company said it will share photos, videos, and updates, and looks forward to continuing to learn from customers and communities as it expands drone delivery in months and years to come.

Want to learn more about robot and automation system integration? This article was featured in the December 2024 Robotics 24/7 Special Focus Issue titled “The process of robot integration.”