New Delhi: Amazon.com is testing drones to deliver goods as the world's largest e-commerce company works to improve the product delivery speed.
Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos unveiled the plan on CBS's “60 Minutes” news program in the U.S., showing the flying machines that can serve as delivery vehicles.
Bezos said the drones, unmanned vehicles that fly through the air, could deliver packages that weigh up to 2.3 kg within a 10-mile radius of an Amazon fulfillment center. That represents roughly 86 per cent of packages that Amazon delivers, he said. Amazon may start using the drones, which can make a delivery within 30 minutes, within five years pending Federal Aviation Administration approval, Bezos said.
Amazon, based in Seattle, has been introducing ways to get products to consumers faster, in order to lure more consumers.
Already, delivery drones are being used by the Australian company Zookal to deliver textbooks, said Oliver Lamb, director of Sydney-based Pacific Aviation Consulting.
A video posted on the company's website showed the body of the device which is about the size of a flat-screen monitor, and it is attached to eight small helicopter rotors and sits on four tall legs.
The claws under the belly of the "octocopter" then latch onto a standard-sized plastic bucket that rolls down a conveyer belt at Amazon's distribution center. Inside the bucket is the order.
The drone lifts off and whizzes into the air like a giant mechanical insect to deliver the package just 30 minutes after clicking the "pay" button on Amazon.com. Then it buzzes back into the air and returns to base.
The mini-drones are powered by environmentally friendly electric motors and can cover areas.
The drones operate autonomously and follow the GPS coordinates they receive to drop the items off at target locations.
Amazon said the octocopters would be "ready to enter commercial operations as soon as the necessary regulations are in place."
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