Internet retail giant expects to be use small drones to deliver packages to customer doorsteps within 30 minutes of their order in the next five years. December 1, 2013 5:28 PM PST Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos shows Charlie Rose prototypes of the delivery drones. (Credit: CBS) Amazon is testing a delivery service that uses to drones to deliver packages within 30 minutes an order being placed. Dubbed Amazon PrimeAir, the service uses 8-propeller drones about the size of a remote controlled airplane to transport shoe box-size plastic bins from fulfillment centers to customers' homes. The service, which still requires more testing and clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration, could take to the skies in as soon as four to five years, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos told Charlie Rose during an interview for "60 Minutes." The completely unmanned aerial vehicles rely on GPS to deliver their cargo, Bezos explained during the segment (see below), which included an Amazon film of the drones in action. "I know this looks like science fiction -- it's not," Bezos said. CNET has contacted Amazon for more information and will update this report when we learn more. In an odd example of life imitating art, the move comes just months after a parody site (jokingly) reported that Amazon was considering just such a move. Dailybeefing.com reported that the Internet retail giant had announced in May that it would purchase 5,000 decommissioned drones the US in an effort to upgrade its delivery capability. The unarmed aerial vehicles supposedly had a value of $50 billion and would make Amazon the fourth-largest air force in the world. "Having our own fleet of UAVs will enable us to speed up delivery times and significantly lower operating costs," Bezos supposedly said during a conference call.
Internet retail giant expects to be use small drones to deliver packages to customer doorsteps within 30 minutes of their order in the next five years.
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos shows Charlie Rose prototypes of the delivery drones.
(Credit: CBS)
Amazon is testing a delivery service that uses to drones to deliver packages within 30 minutes an order being placed.
Dubbed Amazon PrimeAir, the service uses 8-propeller drones about the size of a remote controlled airplane to transport shoe box-size plastic bins from fulfillment centers to customers' homes. The service, which still requires more testing and clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration, could take to the skies in as soon as four to five years, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos told Charlie Rose during an interview for "60 Minutes."
The completely unmanned aerial vehicles rely on GPS to deliver their cargo, Bezos explained during the segment (see below), which included an Amazon film of the drones in action.
"I know this looks like science fiction -- it's not," Bezos said.
CNET has contacted Amazon for more information and will update this report when we learn more.
In an odd example of life imitating art, the move comes just months after a parody site (jokingly) reported that Amazon was considering just such a move.
Dailybeefing.com reported that the Internet retail giant had announced in May that it would purchase 5,000 decommissioned drones the US in an effort to upgrade its delivery capability. The unarmed aerial vehicles supposedly had a value of $50 billion and would make Amazon the fourth-largest air force in the world.
"Having our own fleet of UAVs will enable us to speed up delivery times and significantly lower operating costs," Bezos supposedly said during a conference call.
