The idea is to deliver packages as quickly as possible using the small, unmanned aircraft, through a service the company is calling Prime Air, the CEO said.
Bezos played a demo video that showed how the aircraft, also known as octocopters, will pick up packages in small yellow buckets at Amazon's fulfillment centers and fly through the air to deliver items to customers 30 minutes or less after they hit the buy button online at Amazon.com.
The company is currently testing a drone model with a range of 10 miles that can handle products under five pounds, which is nearly 90% of the company's offerings.
However, putting Prime Air into commercial use will take some years. Amazon must develop the technology further and wait for the Federal Aviation Administration 's rules and regulations.
Bezos estimates the service will be running in four years.
"One day, Prime Air vehicles will be as normal as seeing mail trucks on the road today," the company said.
This is the latest futuristic effort by Bezos, who was an e-commerce pioneer in the 1990s and more recently popularized the e-reader — while pursuing personal projects such as private spaceflight and a 10,000-year clock built inside a mountain.
"We'll be ready to enter commercial operations as soon as the necessary regulations are in place," Amazon said Sunday. "Safety will be our top priority, and our vehicles will be built and designed to meet commercial aviation standards."
edited from USA Today
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