Amazon says shoppers who choose into drone - powered deliveries — currently only active in College Station , Texas , and the West Valley of the Phoenix , Arizona subway system area — can now peck from 60,000 products that weigh five pounding or less . The party has also updated its deliverance communications protocol ; previously , customers would have to place a QR code on the undercoat for the drone to make the drop . Now , once the drone confirms it ’s at the right destination , it drops packages from 13 feet above the undercoat at a designated location without requiring pearl - point signage .
That height should n’t be an issuing for most lithium - ion equipped devices . TheDepartment of Transportation ’s guidancefor ship Li - ion cells calls for parcel containing the batteries to be capable of withstanding a 1.2 - meter ( about a 4 - foot ) drop test that ensures no damage is done — but that measure does n’t apply to bombardment inside a twist . There ’s always a non - zero fortune that something pass sideways and a gadget sustain damage , but generally , anything the Amazon laggard is drop should be fine from that 13 - infantry drop-off . Hell , at least one iPhone grapple to live a fall of16,000 feet , so this is nothing .
While Amazon is blow up the types of products it can deliver via drone , it ’s still struggling to actually make those drops to more people . The caller is locked into just a couple of marketplace despite lift the prospect of drone deliveries way backin 2013 — and making itsfirst drop nearly a decennary ago . Amazon in the end received FAA favourable reception last year to function its drones beyond the visual personal line of credit of heap , which has expanded its delivery range . But it keeps guide into regulatory hurdle , both at the Union andlocal floor , that have slack its enlargement .
Amazon delivery drone pictured above a row of houses and trees© Amazon
Meanwhile , Amazon ’s competitors are starting to gain their own footholds . Walmart has teamed up with droning logistics firm Wing ( which is possess by Google ) and Zipline to offer saving - by - air to shoppers in the Dallas - Fort Worth expanse , andclaimsto have the largest drone saving offering of any U.S. retailer . Meanwhile , DoorDash has also tapped Wingto handle legal transfer for it in the southern part of Charlotte , North Carolina .
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