Wednesday 4 December 2024 Amazon successfully completed the first test flight for drone deliveries in Italyprecisely near the Municipality of San Salvoin Abruzzo, thanks to the collaboration of ENAV and ENAC which gave authorization for the flight. This test marks a fundamental step for Prime Airthe e-commerce giant’s air delivery service, which aims to revolutionize the way our online purchases are delivered. The success of the operation was made possible by a combination of factors: advanced drones, stringent authorizations and close collaboration with the Italian authorities. The company of Jeff Bezos point to officially launch the service in 2025. The drone protagonist of the flight, theMK-30is equipped with cutting-edge technology based on computer vision, which allows it to avoid obstacles and ensure safety during deliveries.
How the first flight of the Amazon delivery drone went in Abruzzo
The first test flight of the Prime Air program in Italy ended successfully yesterday, Wednesday 4 December 2024thanks to the collaboration between AmazontheENAC (National Civil Aviation Authority) and theENAV (National Agency for Flight Assistance). ENAC in fact provided the necessary authorizations to ensure that every aspect of safety was respected during the test, while ENAV ensured that the drone could operate without interference with traditional air traffic.
The drone used for the test, a MK-30it is the technological heart of the projectas it uses an advanced navigation system that is based on Amazon’s computer visiona technology capable of analyzing the surrounding environment in real time to avoid obstacles and ensure that delivery takes place in absolute safety, without putting people, animals or buildings at risk.
If you want to take a look at the drone used by Amazon, enjoy this short video.
The choice of San Salvo for this test is not random. In fact, Abruzzo is home to an important Amazon distribution center which has already created over 1,000 permanent jobs. The collaboration between institutions and large companies, such as Amazon, is not limited to the technical aspect, but extends to the promotion of local economic development. Marcus MarsilioPresident of the Abruzzo Region, underlined how Amazon’s establishment in San Salvo has revitalized the industrial area, transforming it into a model to follow for other realities and declared:
We strongly believed in the value of the Amazon settlement of San Salvo. (…) Being now the first center outside the United States to implement drone delivery demonstrates that logistics in Abruzzo is transformed into a place from which one can only learn and copy.
Amazon Prime Air arriving in 2025 in Italy
Amazon Prime Air in Italy doesn’t just represent an evolution in the way deliveries are made last milei.e. the last stretch of a package’s journey before reaching the recipient, but also an opportunity to improve the quality of life thanks to the use of technologies that reduce environmental impact and increase delivery efficiency. With the success of this first test, Amazon’s next goal is officially launch the service in 2025. To achieve this, Amazon will continue to work with Italian authorities to obtain all necessary authorizations, ensuring that safety remains a top priority.
