Amazon Plans to Expand Drone Delivery to Nearly 500 U.S. Towns and Cities
Amazon plans to expand its drone delivery coverage to nearly 500 U.S. towns and cities this year, primarily serving lightweight packages.
What are the key facts?
- 1Prime Air drone delivery
- 2Coverage of nearly 500 U.S. towns and cities
- 3For lightweight packages
What happened?
Amazon is expanding the coverage of its drone delivery program. The company plans to bring the service to nearly 500 towns and cities in the United States this year, primarily delivering lighter-weight packages. The program is operated by Amazon’s drone delivery business and forms part of its U.S. last-mile delivery network.
The expansion involves Amazon’s drone delivery service, referred to in the report as “Prime Air.” Under the plan, eligible lightweight products will be delivered by drone. The company aims to bring the existing service to more areas of the United States, but the report focuses on coverage and package types and does not state that all products or all regions will be included in drone delivery.
What does this mean for cross-border sellers?
Amazon is extending lightweight-package delivery capabilities to more U.S. areas, moving delivery-time competition further upstream to whether products meet the platform’s delivery requirements. Do not assume that drone delivery will be available for all orders, or you may misjudge promised delivery times and inventory planning. Highest priority: This week, screen key products by weight, size and delivery area, and verify that their logistics promises are accurate.