Amazon officially started its drone delivery trials in two new locations in California and Texas, according to Digital Trends.
The latest development was announced by David Carbon, vice president of Prime Air Amazon, on LinkedIn.
Carbon's post was accompanied by a photo showing one of Amazon's drones carrying a small box on the end of a tether.
Amazon's Drones Successfully Deliver Packages on Christmas Eve
On Christmas Eve, Amazon's drone delivery program has finally taken off after the company successfully delivered packages to customers in Lockeford, California, and College Station, Texas.
The drone delivery of the company is called Prime Air. According to Amazon, they have been working with the Federal Aviation Administration and local officials in both Lockeford and College Station to carry out the service.
In his post on LinkedIn, Carbon wrote "First deliveries from our new sites in Texas and California."
He added that he couldn't be prouder of the amazing people behind Prime Air. According to him, their latest achievement is a careful first step that they will turn into giant leaps for their customers over the next years.
Moreover, he stated that "customers are our obsession, safety is our imperative, the future of delivery is our mandate."
In addition, he said that technology is unlocking the future, and the people of Prime Air are the foundation that it all sits on.
Back in the summer, Amazon had identified these two sites as its first drone delivery locations.
According to the company, customers in Lockeford and College Station will be able to see Prime Air-eligible items, those that's weighing 5 pounds or less, on Amazon.
The customers could then place an order as they normally would. Afterward, they will receive an estimated arrival time with a status tracker for their order, according to DroneDJ.
At present, the standard arrival time for ultrafast delivery service is under an hour. However, the company said that it wants to deliver a vast selection of items using drones within just 30 minutes.
Read Also: Amazon is Nearing the Public Launch of the First Prime Air Drone Deliveries
Amazon to Launch Latest Aircraft Design in 2024
Since 2013, Amazon has been working on its drone delivery service. Over the last decade, the drones that the company uses for its delivery have gone through many designs.
With each new design comes new improvement as the company seeks to persuade regulators that its flying machine is capable of safe and reliable operation.
According to Digital Trends, Amazon will launch its latest aircraft design that comes with improved durability and a range beyond the current nine miles in 2024.
The policies that cover commercial drone flights are still rather strict. Because of this, Amazon and other companies such as Alphabet-owned Wing have been working on pilot schemes like the delivery trials that they launched in California and Texas.
To use drone delivery, select customers can use their smartphone app to order small items online. The item is then loaded onto a drone and sent to the customer's address. Once the drone arrived, the product is lowered to the ground using an extendable tether.
Using drones is useful in speeding up delivery services, particularly in urban areas where road traffic can slow things down.
Moreover, electric flying machines can also help reduce carbon emissions.
Related Article: Amazon's Prime Air Drone To Start Delivering Packages in Texas Later This Year
