Amazon’s drone delivery service in the US has just expanded to include new categories of items, including iPhones, Samsung Galaxy smartphones, Apple AirTags, AirPods, Ring doorbells, and food thermometers. In total, there are now more than 60,000 items eligible for drone delivery, which takes 60 minutes or less from when you place an order.
Of course, the biggest caveat here is that you need to live in one of the locations where drone delivery is supported. If you do, then when you order an eligible item, you’ll see drone delivery as an option, which seems to be a $4.99 extra. Your items have to be under 5 pounds in weight in total, so don’t order a hundred items hoping for drone delivery, it just won’t happen.
If your cart is under that weight, and if you live in a supported area, you’ll then have to confirm your preferred delivery spot at your address – Amazon says this can be a driveway or yard. Once you set this delivery point, it will be remembered by the system for your next orders.
Amazon says this ordering process is the result of “two years of building and incorporating a digital map into the drone’s computer with eligible addresses”. This allows the drone to “accurately determine how long it will take to fly to an address and drop off the package”, so Amazon will provide you with a near-exact delivery time (within five minutes).
When it reaches the delivery point, the drone verifies it’s in the right location with the right package, and then delivers it, but not before ensuring that the area is clear of pets, cars, or people.
Unfortunately, drone delivery won’t be available in adverse weather conditions (light rain is fine, anything beyond that isn’t). If the weather service that Amazon uses determines the weather will be a problem, drone delivery simply won’t be available as an option when you place your order.