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Amazon Starts Drone Delivery Service in UK Town
Amazon has launched the first drone delivery service for retail customers in the UK in Darlington, County Durham. Packages under 5lb containing everyday items are delivered within a 7.5-mile radius of its fulfilment centre in as little as two hours. The company said it can perform up to 100 deliveries a day during the limited launch and plans gradual expansion.
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Amazon has become the first retailer in the UK to begin a drone delivery service with a limited launch in Darlington, County Durham. Packages weighing less than 5lb (2.2kg) and containing everyday items are now being delivered within a 7.5 mile (12km) radius of the company's fulfilment centre in as little as two hours.
The company said it can carry out a maximum of ten flights an hour, or up to a hundred deliveries a day on weekdays. The company said it hopes to slowly expand the service as demand for ultra-fast deliveries grows. Darlington is currently the only place outside the US where the company is conducting drone deliveries.
The service remains at an early stage with testing expected to continue. Drones are already being trialled by the NHS to deliver blood supplies in London and Royal Mail is using them to send packages to remote communities in Orkney. This is the first time drones have been used for everyday shopping deliveries in the UK. The company reported the limited launch began on Wednesday.
“The tech giant says it hopes to slowly expand the service as the demand for ultra-fast deliveries grows.”
