Amazon's Drone Delivery Service To Extend To UK And Italy

Amazon Inc. AMZN has plans to extend its drone delivery service to Britain and Italy by late next year.

As reported by Barron’s, the e-commerce giant, based in Seattle, also announced its intention to broaden drone delivery to a third U.S. state. Currently, Amazon operates drone deliveries in California and Texas.

The drones, including a new MK30 model, can function under more severe weather conditions, as explained by David Carbon, Amazon Prime Air vice president at a marketing event.

Amazon has also introduced a new robotics system “Sequoia” in a Texas logistics center. This system, featuring automated vehicles, gantry cranes, and mechanical arms, aims to make different machines more interoperable.

“Sequoia” can store stock in warehouses “up to 75 percent faster,” potentially decreasing order processing time by 25 percent, according to an Amazon statement.

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Despite the rise in e-commerce, traditional brick-and-mortar stores still hold 80 percent of retail business. However, analysts predict a shift towards online retail as delivery speed improves.

Andrew Lipsman, an analyst at Insider Intelligence, believes faster delivery could boost the e-commerce market and solidify Amazon’s position within it.

Amazon did not specify any job losses due to increased automation but highlighted safety gains and job creation opportunities.

Scott Dresser, vice president for Amazon robotics, pointed out the potential for robots to take over repetitive tasks and improve safety conditions in fulfillment centers.

However, critics argue that increased automation will not address underlying worker issues at Amazon.

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