Amazon's drone delivery program faces heat hurdles in Arizona
Amazon's ambitious plan to launch a drone delivery fleet in Arizona, US is facing significant obstacles due to the state's extreme summer temperatures. WIRED reports that the drones are unable to function in temperatures above 104-degree Fahrenheit (or 40-degree Celsius). This is problematic as Tolleson, Arizona, where Amazon plans to initiate the service, experiences such high temperatures for three months annually.
Prime Air initiative faces multiple challenges
The heat issue is just one of many hurdles Amazon has encountered in its decade-long effort to establish a mainstream drone delivery service through its Prime Air initiative. The company recently announced the closure of its drone delivery operations based in Lockeford, California after two years. Despite setting a goal to make 500 million deliveries by 2030, Amazon has only completed thousands so far. While remaining committed to the concept, Amazon may soon launch the service in Italy and UK.
Competing with Google's Wing service
In contrast to Amazon's drone delivery numbers, Google's competing Wing service has completed hundreds of thousands of deliveries. Beyond weather-related challenges, Amazon also requires securing permits for its next-generation drone, MK30.
Drone delivery requires customer opt-in
The proposed drone delivery service requires customers to opt-in to have a 36kg drone drop a package onto a QR code mat in their backyard. "We won't take orders when the temperature gets above 104 degrees," said Calsee Hendrickson, Amazon Prime Air director of product and program management. However, an Amazon spokesperson countered this by stating that deliveries would continue throughout the summer, without denying that the local climate could impede these efforts.
