E-commerce operator starts test flights of MK30 drones from northern England facility, with commercial operations scheduled for later in 2026
Amazon has begun testing drone deliveries in the UK, with the launch of operations in the country expected later this year.
The e-commerce giant has started test flights out of its Darlington fulfilment centre, with the northern city set to become the first location in the UK to offer the service, which is branded Prime Air.
The service will use Amazon’s newest MK30 drone, which can carry packages weighing up to 2.2kg and has a range of up to 12 km.
Amazon said the drone can operate ”safely and autonomously using sophisticated, industry-leading detect-and-avoid technology, ensuring the safety of people, pets, and property”.
"Cameras continuously monitor the surrounding airspace during flight, determining whether evasive action is needed to avoid other aircraft entering the drone's flight path," Amazon said.
"The perception technology relies on sophisticated machine learning models trained to recognise various objects, including people, animals, physical barriers, and other airborne vehicles."
The drones are capable of avoiding items that are not featured in satellite maps, such as clotheslines or trampolines.
David Carbon, vice president of Prime Air, said: “Starting flights in Darlington marks an important milestone in bringing drone delivery to the UK. Safety is our top priority and we have worked closely with Darlington Council and the Civil Aviation Authority.
"Our MK30 drones are designed to operate quietly and efficiently. We look forward to demonstrating how this innovative technology can serve the people of Darlington while maintaining the highest safety standards.”
When the service launches, eligible Prime customers based in the area will be able to opt-in to drone delivery, with packages delivered in less than two hours.
Keeping noise and perceived volume to a minimum was a critical priority for the drone development team.
The drone development team built an independent monitoring computer that oversees the main flight control system.
When the monitoring system identifies irregularities during flight, it can instantly switch control to a secondary controller whilst initiating an automated return-to-base procedure.
