Amazon reveals new Prime Air delivery drone

Amazon revealed its new Prime Air delivery drone at the Re:MARS conference in Las Vegas this week, saying that a drone delivery service could be launched in a matter of months.

The drone is a hybrid aircraft that is capable of both vertical take-off and sustained horizontal flight. It’s been designed with safety features that make it as “robust and stable as commercial aircraft”, according to Amazon, including thermal cameras, depth cameras and sonar.

Credit: Jordan Stead / Amazon

The drone can fly up to 15 miles, delivering packages that weigh less than five pounds—which accounts for 75 to 90 per cent of all Amazon products—in less than 30 minutes.

"Our objective is to have a certified commercial program that will allow us to deliver to customers, and that’s what we’re working towards in the coming months," said Jeff Wilke, Amazon’s consumer worldwide CEO.

The company is seeking approval from the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) for the design, pitching the drone as "an airplane that’s built to exacting aerospace standards."

Source: The Verge