Amazon wants to use drones with 30 minutes of autonomy that can deliver packages of just over 2 kilograms

Robert Sole 6 June, 2019

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Presentation in Las Vegas of the Amazon Prime Air service, which is based on drones with half an hour of autonomy and a capacity of just over two kilograms.

The first of Amazon's conferences in Las Vegas called 're: MARS' has started. They are a set of conferences based on Machine Learning, Automation, Robotics and Space. The first of the conferences has dealt with the courier service without carriers. How is it possible? Well, very simple, using messenger drones for the new Prime Air service. This service was piloted in 2013 and could now be made a reality. The company has highlighted that it could start operating "in the coming months"

Drones for delivery, the innovation proposed by Amazon

Jeff Wilke, CEO of Amazon World Consumption has highlighted that the ship has the ability to take off and land vertically. Once the drone reaches the necessary height, it begins to advance. This drone is completely electric and is equipped with thermal and depth cameras, as well as other sensors and sonar. It has built-in Machine Learning to be able to avoid obstacles autonomously. Wilke emphasizes that the drone can avoid power lines, birds, other flying objects and even the dog in our garden.

They have gone from a quadcopter to a hexacopter, with the rotors shielded to increase safety. The covers to protect the rotor will act as wings during sustained flight. The central area has a tilting format that allows you to change the format during flight stages.

Through this design, the six propellers are used for takeoff and landing, and are also used in the displacement motion. The central area of the drone is the one that has the capacity to store packages, protected in the same fuselage.

Amazon ensures that the drone can make deliveries within a radius of 24 kilometers in trips of less than 30 minutes. It has a load capacity reduced to 2.27 kilograms. According to Amazon itself, between 75-90% of the products purchased on the portal are below this weight limit.

They also hope that the American FAA will allow them to make the flights. Once they have permission, they will begin to offer this Prime Air delivery service. It seems that this is the reason why they have not given dates for the service to go live.