Amazon will begin delivering packages to metro Phoenix customers via drone later this year, the company announced Monday.
Why it matters: Amazon is betting big on drones to speed up its delivery services and improve its environmental impact by taking CO2-emitting trucks off the street.
The big picture: The Valley will become the third U.S. region to experience the futuristic delivery method. The service will only be available in the West Valley, at least at first.
- The service launched in College Station, TX, and Lockeford, Calif., in 2022.
How it works: Drones will deploy from a facility next to Amazon’s same-day delivery site in Tolleson and deliver packages in less than an hour.
- Amazon said it will begin reaching out to West Valley customers to encourage them to sign up for the service as soon as it has FAA and local permissions.
What we’re watching: Amazon has developed a new MK30 drone, which it plans to deploy in Phoenix.
- It’s quieter, can fly higher and in more diverse weather conditions.
- It will allow delivery to customers with smaller backyards and in more densely populated suburban areas, according to the company.
Between the lines: In College Station and Lockeford, Amazon had to conduct yard surveys before a customer was eligible for delivery.
- The new drone will nix the need for the survey and allow a more “streamlined” onboarding process for customers, a spokesperson told Axios Phoenix.
What they’re saying: “By bringing this service to new communities, they’re not just delivering goods; they’re delivering opportunities and economic growth for all,” Tolleson Mayor Juan Rodriguez said in a statement.
