Amazon to use air drones for deliveries later this year, trial run in CA

Lockeford, Calif. will be the testing ground for Amazon to deliver packages via drones later this year, the company announced Monday.

That would make the community of 3,500 among the first U.S. locations to enjoy free drone delivery within 30 minutes — a promise that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos made nearly a decade ago.

Amazon executive in charge of consumer business resigns

“Lockeford has historic links to the aviation industry,” Amazon wrote in a blog post. “The community boasts one of the early pioneers of aviation — Weldon B. Cooke, who built and flew early planes in the early 1900s — as a former resident. Now, over a century later, residents will get the opportunity to sign up for free drone delivery on thousands of everyday items.”

Amazon said it will begin to reach out to customers in the San Joaquin County community to let them know they can get their orders via Prime Air delivery.

Amazon says its drones fly up to 50 miles-per-hour and can carry packages of up to five pounds as high up as 400 feet in the air.

“Lockeford residents will soon have access to one of the world’s leading delivery innovations,” said California State Assemblyman Heath Flora, whose district includes Lockeford, in a prepared statement. “It’s exciting that Amazon will be listening to the feedback of the San Joaquin County community to inform the future development of this technology.”

Amazon stated the company is working with the Federal Aviation Administration and local officials in Lockeford to obtain permission to conduct these deliveries and will continue with that collaboration into the future.

Follow @http://twitter.com/Mynorthwest