Amazon gets approval to test delivery drones in the US

The era of drone delivery is edging closer, as the FAA clears Amazon Prime Air for take-off

Amazon's quest for global retail dominance continues in full swing, as it gets the green light to start testing its delivery drones in the US.

Amazon has received approval from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to start testing its delivery drones on American soil.

The retail giant requested approval to kick off trials back in July 2014, and can now finally get its Amazon Prime Air drone in the skies.

Under FAA rules, Amazon can now start flying its drone at its headquarters, provided the person flying it has a full pilot's licence.

The drones must also be flown at 400 feet or below during daylight hours, and must remain within sight of the pilot.

Amazon announced its Amazon Prime Air drone back in 2013, and now says it's testing the eighth and ninth generation aerial vehicles.

The latest done can reportedly reach speeds up to 50mph and carry a weight of up to 5 pounds – particularly handy considering that covers 86% of Amazon's product catalogue.

When the project eventually launches, customers will purportedly receive their products within 30 minutes of ordering them.

We still don't know if and when the Prime Air system will even come to the UK, but then it's still very early days. Stay tuned for updates.

Nathan George

Nathan George is a freelance journalist who has contributed to T3.com in the fields of gaming, social media, streaming services, autonomous vehicles, phones, virtual reality headsets, wireless speakers and future tech. He studied journalism at the University of the West of England and is a holder of the Bronze and Silver The Duke of Edinburgh Award.