Amazon announces location for launch of first drone deliveries in UK
Amazon announces location for launch of first drone deliveries in UK
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If the project is successful, it could be rolled out to the rest of the UK. Global technology giant Amazon has announced its first UK drone deliveries will take place in Darlington. The plan unveiled on Tuesday is being hailed as a major international coup by Tees Valley’s Tory mayor Lord Ben Houchen, and comes after his decision to take Teesside Airport back into public ownership.
![[Tees Valley mayor Lord Ben Houchen will work with Amazon to help deliver the UK’s first drone delivery service]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/09/29/15/6da086e9d9e93ab6015e7774d0ddbaa6Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzI3NzA0NDEx-2.72539787.jpg)
Lord Houchen has led an 18-month bid to secure the project which, if successful, could soon be rolled out across the rest of the UK. Amazon confirmed its Darlington fulfilment centre will host the maiden UK flights of Prime Air – its drone-based delivery service which has been operating in the US since 2022.
Prime Air will see autonomous drones carry out same-day 30-minute deliveries from warehouse to customers’ homes across the area. Planning permission and authorisation from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for the lightweight delivery service will now be sought ahead of the start of operations.
Lord Houchen said: “I am delighted that Teesside will become home to Amazon’s first UK Drone delivery service. “In Teesside, we do things differently. We say yes when others say it’s too difficult. We are positive, ambitious, and we deliver. “We are grabbing the opportunities and the optimism of the tech revolution – so it's no surprise that Amazon has chosen Darlington as the location to launch Prime Air in the UK.
