Amazon shoppers across the country could soon become accustomed to a new sound signaling that their package has arrived — the buzz of a delivery drone.
Amazon announced Wednesday that it plans a major expansion of its Prime Air drone delivery service, bringing the program to nearly 500 cities and towns before the end of the year.
The Seattle-based company described the expansion as a “sixfold increase” in the footprint of its drone delivery operations.
Amazon Prime first launched drone deliveries in 2022, initially limiting the service to Lockeford, California, and College Station, Texas. Prime Air has since expanded and is currently available in 11 cities, according to the company.
The service now covers roughly 175 square miles around several locations, including Tolleson, Arizona, in the Phoenix metropolitan area; Ruskin, Florida, near Tampa; Kansas City, Kansas; and Papillion, Nebraska, in the Omaha area.
Amazon also currently operates the service around Hazel Park and Pontiac, Michigan, in the Detroit area, as well as Richmond, San Antonio, Richardson and Waco, Texas.
The company is now targeting five additional metropolitan areas as part of its expansion: Chicago; Cleveland, Ohio; Syracuse, New York; Atlanta, Georgia; and Boise, Idaho. Amazon said additional locations are also coming.
The drones can carry “millions” of different products, according to Amazon, including groceries, cosmetics, medications and electronics.
Customers can even order certain Apple iPhones, Samsung Galaxy devices, Ring doorbells and AirPods for drone delivery.
There are size and weight restrictions. Items generally must weigh no more than 5 pounds and be small enough to fit inside a large shoebox.
Amazon says drone orders can arrive in as little as 30 minutes, although most deliveries are expected to reach customers approximately one hour after checkout.
Prime Air is free for Amazon Prime members placing orders of at least $50. Prime members whose purchases fall below the $50 threshold will pay a $2.99 delivery fee.
Customers who are not Prime members can also use the service but will pay a $4.99 delivery fee.
Amazon described its drones as “highly autonomous,” saying the aircraft use onboard cameras and sensors to navigate, identify obstacles and safely complete deliveries. The company said there is no live camera feed.
Despite the aircraft flying directly to customers’ homes, Amazon says the drones are designed to keep noise relatively low.
According to the company, the drones produce a “sound level below that of an idling delivery truck parked curbside” and the noise lasts for approximately 30 seconds.
Customers standing outside as a drone approaches may hear something Amazon compares to a window fan running on low.
Those who remain inside their homes, however, may not hear the drone at all.
With Amazon preparing to expand Prime Air from 11 cities to nearly 500 cities and towns, the familiar sound of a delivery vehicle pulling up outside could soon have some competition from above.
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