The company is attempting to overcome previous hurdles to launch a test delivery programme later this year. Amazon is taking measures to launch its long-delayed drone delivery service.

After receiving approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, the business said that it would operate its first drone delivery service in the community of Lockeford, California, later this year.  If the regulatory licence is granted, it will be a significant step forward for Amazon, which has been promising aerial package delivery for nearly a decade.

Several crashes, claims of suspected safety failures, and significant turnover have all been big setbacks for the company. However, Amazon's announcement today suggests that it is convinced that it is ready for primetime (no pun intended).

Residents in Lockeford will be the first to receive Prime delivery products delivered to their backyards via drone later this year, according to Amazon. Drone delivery will be available for 'thousands' of things, while Amazon does not clarify what types of items can be ordered.

Amazon claims to be working on technology that will improve obstacle avoidance on the ground and in the air. It's also working on enabling its drones to fly Beyond the Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS), which is a technical term for flying drones at distances beyond the pilot's regular viewing range.

However, just like companies that fly commercial aircraft, drone delivery companies must be certified by the FAA. This entails obtaining Part 135 certification from the FAA, which allows businesses to run a commercial drone delivery service. Amazon, along with Alphabet's Wing and UPS, has gotten Part 135 certification.

In terms of additional permissions, the FAA will assess our plans and certify that our proposed operation in Lockeford complies with the National Environmental Policy Act, according to Av Raichura Zammit, an Amazon spokesman, in an email.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has declined to comment on Amazon's upcoming drone service. In an email, Kiva Williams, a spokesperson for the FAA, stated, 'We don't comment on pending certification projects or negotiations with corporations.'

In 2013, former Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos promised 30-minute drone deliveries for the first time. In 2019, the business teased a makeover of its Prime Air delivery drone with the capacity to fly vertically, as well as a commitment to start drone deliveries later that year – a promise that never materialised.

In recent years, the programme has been plagued by issues, including five crashes at the company's testing facility in Pendleton, Oregon, over four months. Former employees informed reporters that the initiative was rushed and that those who expressed safety concerns were sacked. Safety, according to Amazon, is a key priority.

Drone deliveries were expected to transform the movement of goods across cities, with companies such as Amazon, Wing, and Uber expecting to launch large-scale operations soon. Instead, the technology has primarily been employed for small-scale trials, such as sending vaccines and blood to far-flung sites.

In the United States, the use of drones for delivery has primarily been restricted to less populous and less densely populated areas, namely in smaller settlements.