- Amazon’s Prime Air drones can now deliver more items to its early adopters
- That includes smartphones, AirTags, video doorbells, and more
- Customers also no longer need a QR code to tell the drone where to go
Amazon’s Prime Air drone delivery service has been available for a few years now, but it’s been limited in several key ways. Things are changing now, though, as the company has just gained approval to ferry new categories of items to customers in the US, including Apple AirTags and some of the best smartphones.
Announcing the news, Amazon said that its Prime Air service has received FAA approval to handle devices like “Apple iPhones, Samsung Galaxy cellphones, Apple AirTags, Apple AirPods, Ring doorbells, and Alpha Grillers Instant Read Food Thermometers.”
That should give you a lot more choice when it comes to ordering these items. Amazon says that it aims to get them into your hands within 60 minutes of checkout, making it a tempting option if you really urgently need one of the best iPhones on your doorstep (an unlikely scenario, but anyway) or you just can’t wait.
There are a few caveats to the recent changes. For one thing, the item due for delivery must weigh five pounds or less. For another, you need to be in one of the locations covered by Amazon’s drone service, which includes College Station in Texas and the West Valley area of Phoenix, Arizona.
As well as that, the weather must be suitable for the drone to fly in, and you must choose from one of the 60,000 items available for delivery via drone.
How the Prime Air ordering process works
Amazon also revealed how Prime Air deliveries look in its Shopping app. If you live in an eligible area and are ordering something that weighs under five pounds, you’ll see a drone delivery option in the check out section. You then choose a delivery spot at your address, which can be set as your default (just like a typical ‘safe space’).
Amazon also says it has improved its delivery estimates so that it can provide a more accurate delivery window to you – typically accurate to within five minutes. The company will also let you know if your package can’t be delivered, and the accompanying reason.
If the process can go ahead, the drone identifies suitable delivery areas that are free of obstacles like buildings, trees and cars. Then, once it’s found a spot close to where you live, it will descend to about 13 feet, which Amazon says is “low enough to deliver an item safety and securely.” Unlike before, you no longer need to place a QR code on your delivery location, as the drone will automatically know where to stop.
So, if you live in the right area and are desperate for a new phone, smart doorbell, or set of AirPods, Amazon’s Prime Air service could be what you need – if just walking to the shops isn’t an option, of course.
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alexblake.techradar@gmail.com (Alex Blake)
