Amazon has completed its first customer delivery by drone in Cambridgeshire.
The online retail giant said a new private trial – also in the UK – will now deliver packages up to five pounds in weight in 30 minutes or less using the drones, which it began testing earlier this year.
The firm has not commented further on where or to whom the trial will be available.
Questions over the safe use of drones remain, however, with a number of near-misses involving commercial aircraft and amateur drone pilots reported this year.
Amazon has proposed using its crafts in “segregated blocks of airspace below 500 feet and away from most manned aviation operations”.
Amazon also said its drones will use “sense and avoid” technology and data will be continuously gathered throughout the trial to make improvements, calling safety its “top priority”.
The company added that the current trial was only permitted to operate during daylight hours with low winds and good visibility, and not in rain, snow or icy conditions.
