Amazon drones can now deliver smartphones, AirTags and more

Amazon will now deliver a bunch of new products via drone, as mentioned in a company blog post. This includes stuff like smartphones, video doorbells and food thermometers. This is thanks to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) giving approval to several new item categories.

Newly-available items include Apple iPhones, AirTags and AirPods, in addition to Samsung Galaxy smartphones, Ring doorbells and Alpha Grillers Instant Read Food Thermometers. All told, customers can now choose from more than 60,000 items for drone delivery.

These deliveries will typically arrive within an hour, assuming the package is under five pounds and the customer lives in a drone service area. Unfortunately, these areas are extremely limited. As of this writing, Amazon only offers drone deliveries to parts of Texas and Arizona. The company plans on expanding to the UK and Italy in the near future.

Weather also plays a part when determining the availability of a drone delivery. Amazon won't offer the service “during heavy winds, or during heavy rain,” the company wrote in another blog post. It isn't being overly cautious here. The drones can get into serious trouble when trying to navigate foul weather, as shown by recent crashes that forced the company to put the platform on hold for a while.

Last year, the FAA gave Amazon permission for its drones to fly beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS). This has allowed the company to use its newest MK30 model to make deliveries within an hour.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/amazon-drones-can-now-deliver-smartphones-airtags-and-more-164413100.html?src=rss https://www.engadget.com/transportation/amazon-drones-can-now-deliver-smartphones-airtags-and-more-164413100.html?src=rss