Amazon gets green light to deliver by drone

Amazon has been given the green light to launch Britain’s first drone delivery service, which will see parcels dropped into customers’ gardens.The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has approved changes to airspace rules in the area around Darlington, County Durham, where the company plans to offer the service.This means Amazon could launch the service imminently, although the company did not specify when it plans its maiden flights.It expects to operate up to 10 flights per hour from a local warehouse, 12 hours a day, seven days a week.Amazon has faced opposition from some local residents over potential aircraft noise, as well as from model aircraft flyers, who warn it could interfere with their hobby.The company has said its drones are designed to minimise noise, noting that the disruption will be less than that from delivery drivers slamming doors and reversing.“This is an exciting step towards bringing drone delivery to customers in Darlington. We’re continuing to work closely with Darlington council and the Civil Aviation Authority on this innovative first for the UK,” Amazon said.The company applied to the CAA in March last year and hoped to begin deliveries before Christmas, but the regulator did not confirm approval until Friday.Autonomous drone flights in the UK require operators to reserve airspace for their aircraft, as rules governing how they detect and avoid other airborne vehicles have not yet been finalised.Amazon says the drone flights will allow it to deliver packages in under two hours. The deliveries have been a dream of Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder, for more than a decade.The flights will take off from a helipad at Amazon’s local distribution centre, with the aircraft flying at between 55 and 85 metres in the air.Amazon first tested drone flights in Cambridgeshire a decade ago but ended testing, in part due to frustration with airspace restrictions.It has since been carrying out drone delivery tests in various American cities. The US Federal Aviation Authority recently said it was investigating after one of the company’s drones severed an internet cable, cutting off a customer’s service.Another company, Apian, has been using drones to transport blood samples between London hospitals and plans to expand the service.The CAA was contacted for comment. The regulator has said it hopes that laws will allow routine drone flights by next year.Amazon’s permission for drone flights is temporary, lasting until June, although the company could apply for a 12-month extension.