La parcel delivery via drone lands in Italy. Amazon announced that by the end of 2024 will open the service Prime Air in Italy and in UK. It was to announce it David Carbon, vice president of Prime Air, on the occasion of the Amazon 'Delivering the Future' event in Seattle, in which the American giant unveiled a new generation of drones: it will in fact be entrusted to new Mk30 drone the task of air delivery.
“By the end of 2024 we will launch deliveries with the new drone in Italy and the United Kingdom” explains Carbon who adds: “We are excited to announce the expansion of Prime Air delivery internationally, for the first time outside the United States. We built a safe and reliable delivery service and we have worked closely with regulatory authorities and communities.”
An Amazon plan that is very ambitious with the declared objective “of deliver by the end of the decade with drones 500 million products worldwide in a way that is safer than driving to the store to buy them.”
Il launcher involves the parcel delivery with a weight maximum of approximately 2,26 kg, which include a variety of items, from basic necessities to hi-tech products, aimed at customers with specific requirements.
First deliveries only for villas with gardens, then condominiums
Initially, in Italy, the delivery via drones it will be free and available only for villas with gardens, but Amazon's goal is extend the service to condominiums too. Delivery time? within 30 minutes of purchase.
Prime air will be mostly offered in the suburbs of large cities in areas close to Amazon warehouses, and provides direct delivery, with the drone that drops the package from a height of three/four metres.
“When we started the Amazon Prime delivery program, it was considered revolutionary. Getting packages to people where they needed them, in just a few days, was exciting and new at the same time. Since then, we have developed new technologies and made investments in our logistics network that have helped us get packages to customers in two days, one day and even the same day. We are working with the competent authorities so that Amazon drone deliveries can be made in Italy starting from the end of 2024" he declared Lorenzo Barbo, Chief Executive Officer of Amazon Italy Logistics.
Amazon's Mark 30 drone
Il Mark 30 it is equipped with sensors to identify obstacles and is able to select its route independently. It is designed to handle unexpected situations and make confident decisions but it is still always accompanied by staff specialist ready to take him back to base or land him in an emergency.
Unlike the current drone in use, the MK30 does not require a dedicated delivery platform with a QR code to deliver products to customers.
Compared to previous models, the Mark 30 has the double the autonomy with an extended range of up to 12 km. It is quieter and able to fly even in light rain and adverse conditions. Amazon's drones are hybrid and use a VTOL system that allows vertical take-off and landing, then switching to horizontal flight for greater maneuverability.
Enac and Enav working on regulations
By the end of 2024, theENAC andEnav they are working for develop and approve all regulations necessary e complete the certification of the drone services ecosystem. Organizational and operational operations have already been started, and ENAC has also prepared alternative plans to guarantee the launch of the service in the event of delays in authorisations.
"In Italy we found an excellent environment to develop our project – explains David Carbon – because thanks to the presence of cutting-edge aerospace companies we find people who have the right mentality and skills to help us successfully achieve this goal. Furthermore, the competent authorities have proven to be very open and available to these new developments, welcoming our efforts with enthusiasm."
“The experience gained by Italy will be inspiration and support for safe operations in the rest of Europe. We are working on the basis of an unprecedented collaboration protocol which involves, in addition to Amazon, also EASA, the European aviation safety agency, in coordination with the government authorities, to promote a regulatory and technical scenario for the start of the operations” declared the president of ENAC, Pierluigi DiPalma.
“We are available and in support of projects such as Amazon's, aware of our role not only as a service provider but as a true strategic partner in an industrial logic. For some time now, ENAV has no longer looked solely at air traffic control, but rather at the management of airspace, understood as infrastructure available for the economic growth of the country" he commented Pasqualino Monti, CEO of Enav.
In Italy have already tested the drone deliveries of medicines while it is in plans the use of the Drone-Taxi in Rome by 2024.
Prime air active in the USA in California and Texas
Amazon's Prime Air program is launched in the US in December 2022 offering deliveries within a 6km radius from a logistics center with delivery times of 60 minutes. Currently, the service is available only in two small locations in California and Texas, with plans to add a third location next year. Meanwhile, the e-commerce giant has announced delivery will now be active for condominiums and pharmaceutical products.
Amazon's air delivery plans date back to 2013 but progress has been slow: only 100 deliveries made through May, despite an internal target of 10.000 deliveries for 2023.
Amazon isn't the only company to start drone deliveries in the United States. Also Walmart, Ups e A have launched a similar service.
