Amazon introduced a new drone for its upcoming Prime Air service at its Re:MARS event in Las Vegas. The aircraft can switch between a vertical drone-like flying mode and a forward flying mode. The company said you will see the new delivery drone in the field in the “coming months.”
The drone has thermal cameras, depth cameras, and sonar to detect potential hazards, and obstacles. The feedback would go to an onboard computer. Amazon said it can avoid a small dog in a backyard.
The aircraft is more dynamic than that of the previous generation. This update incorporated wing-like structures. From a video posted by Amazon, the aircraft can take off vertically. Once the drone reaches a higher altitude, it tilts forward and flying like a regular propeller aircraft.
However, the FAA has not yet approved the design, but the company said they built the drone with FAA regulation in mind.
The drone has a maximum range of 15 miles, and it can deliver packages in less than 30 minutes. The payload limit is five pounds, which covers 75 to 90 percent of Amazon’s delivery.
