Amazon Expanding Prime Air Drone Deliveries to 500 U.S. Cities by Year-End

Amazon announced plans to expand its Prime Air drone delivery operations into suburban areas across nearly 500 U.S. cities by the end of the year, targeting package deliveries under 5 pounds in as fast as 30 minutes.

Amazon’s plan would expand its drone delivery operation more than sixfold nationwide into hundreds of new communities, including the Chicago, Atlanta, Cleveland and Boise metro areas. The drones will primarily fly in the suburbs well away from skyscrapers and major airports that could cause problems.

The massive scale-up follows key regulatory clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration, which granted Amazon permission to operate its drones Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS). The authorization allows remote pilots to fly the aircraft without maintaining direct visual contact, utilizing onboard detect-and-avoid technology to prevent airborne collisions.

To support the expansion across nearly 500 cities, Amazon is deploying its MK30 drone model, which features a 40% reduction in perceived noise compared to previous aircraft, an expanded operating temperature range, and the capability to fly in light rain while carrying 5-pound payloads.

In each location, the drones launch directly from designated Amazon warehouse sites and cover operational radiuses of approximately 175 square miles. Serving a large metropolitan area requires multiple drone launch locations across surrounding fulfillment centers.

“Prime Air now has a design that’ll scale, plans to serve communities with 30 million customers by year-end, and expects to deliver half a billion packages by the end of this decade (with an aim to deliver inside 30 minutes),” Jassy wrote.

The delivery service will be free for Amazon Prime members placing orders over $50, while smaller orders for members will cost $2.99. Non-members will pay $4.99 per drone delivery, compared to standard non-member shipping fees under $35 or same-day delivery charges up to $12.99.

Although Amazon has delivered hundreds of thousands of packages by drone this year, airborne shipping still represents a small fraction of overall order volume. Beyond weight restrictions, operations face site-specific obstacles including dense tree cover, steep landscaping, and backyard inflatable pools that obstruct drop zones.

The company already holds FAA certification under a Part 135 air carrier certificate. The federal government has separately proposed a standardized rule to permit commercial drone operators across the country to fly beyond the horizon without requiring individual site waivers.