Amazon revealed its next-gen hybrid design for its delivery drone at a June 2019 conference in Las Vegas. The company will use a hexagon-shaped hexacopter that can take off and land vertically but has the aerodynamics and efficiency of a fixed-wing aircraft.
The self-piloting drones are electric, can carry up to 5 pounds, and are designed to make deliveries within 30 minutes by dropping them in a backyard.
“This certification is an important step forward for Prime Air and indicates the FAA’s confidence in Amazon’s operating and safety procedures for an autonomous drone delivery service that will one day deliver packages to our customers around the world,” David Carbon, vice president of Prime Air, said in a statement. “We will continue to develop and refine our technology to fully integrate delivery drones into the airspace, and work closely with the FAA and other regulators around the world to realize our vision of 30-minute delivery.”
Seattle-based Amazon is the third drone delivery service to win flight approval, the FAA said. Delivery company UPS Flight Forward and Wing Aviation, a company owned by search giant Google both received the designation last year.
