Amazon starts drone delivery pilot in Italy

Ecommerce giant Amazon has announced that it has finished a first test with delivery drones in Italy. The company wants to deliver items weighing up to approximately 2 kilograms to customers’ gardens with these drones. It is unclear when it will start using this service in the country.

The online marketplace has been interested in implementing its delivery drones in Europe for a couple of years now. Just last year, it said that it would start using these services in Italy and the United Kingdom before the end of 2024. The official launch date still has not been announced.

Tests in the United Kingdom and Italy

In summer this year, the British aviation regulator allowed Amazon to test the use of drones in deliveries in the country. Now, the ecommerce giant is also testing drones in Italy. The first test was carried out last week, in San Salvo, a town in the central Abruzzo region.

‘The company works with Italian authorities to meet the requirements to launch the service next year’

“The company continues to work with Italian authorities to meet all the requirements needed to launch the service next year”, Amazon said in a statement. Whether that means that drone delivery will also be launching in the United Kingdom next year, is still unclear.

‘Computer vision program’

“The test flight was made with the new MK-30 drone, the highly automated drone system that uses the industry-leading Amazon computer vision program. This allows drones to move safely away from obstacles, ensuring the safety of people, animals and property, and helping to keep Amazon drones separate from other aircraft in the operational area.”

‘With computer vision, the drones can safely move away from obstacles’

The MK-30 drone was unveiled by Amazon by the end of 2023. It can operate in light rain and wind, and travel up to 12 kilometers for a delivery. Up until now, the drones are being used in several locations in the United States. Amazon is planning on using them in Europe, as well.