Amazon has become the first retailer in the UK to launch a drone delivery service with a limited launch in Darlington, County Durham.
Packages weighing less than 5 pounds (2.2 kg) and containing everyday items are now being delivered within a 7.5 mile (12 km) radius of an Amazon fulfillment center – in just two hours.
The tech giant says it can make up to ten flights an hour, or up to a hundred deliveries a day on weekdays, as part of its limited launch – but hopes to gradually expand the service as demand for ultra-fast deliveries grows.
Drones are already being trialled by the NHS to deliver blood supplies to London and the Royal Mail is using them to send packages to remote communities in Orkney.
But this is the first time that it is being used for everyday shopping. Darlington is currently the only location outside the US where Amazon is making drone deliveries. But the service is still in its early stages and testing is expected to continue.
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