Amazon to expand drone delivery to 500 cities

Amazon announced on August 19, 2026, that it will expand its Prime Air drone delivery service to suburban areas in nearly 500 U.S. cities by the end of the year, offering eligible customers deliveries in as fast as 30 minutes. The expansion will increase Amazon’s drone delivery footprint more than sixfold, though drones will still be limited to packages weighing up to 5 pounds. The move intensifies the competition with Walmart to provide the fastest delivery options, as both retailers rely on a mix of drones and traditional delivery methods. Amazon’s drone deliveries will primarily target suburban areas to avoid operational challenges posed by dense urban environments, such as skyscrapers and major airports. The company has already delivered hundreds of thousands of packages via drones this year, but even after the expansion, drones will handle only a fraction of Amazon’s hundreds of millions of annual deliveries. Challenges remain, including regulatory hurdles, noise concerns, and logistical issues like tree cover, landscaping, and inflatable pools obstructing drop zones. Amazon’s CEO Andy Jassy stated in his April 2026 shareholder letter that Prime Air now has a scalable design and plans to serve communities with 30 million customers by year-end, aiming to deliver half a billion packages by the end of the decade with a target of 30-minute delivery times. The service will be free for Amazon Prime members ordering more than $50 worth of goods, while smaller orders will cost Prime members $2.99. Non-members will pay $4.99 for drone delivery. Amazon is already certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and has received waivers to fly drones beyond the line of sight of pilots, though broader federal drone rules remain under consideration. The company has also invested in safety measures to help drones avoid collisions. Analyst Sucharita Kodali of Forrester noted that while drone delivery may initially attract curiosity-driven orders, its long-term utility and economic viability are still unproven. Other delivery companies, including DoorDash, are also experimenting with drone deliveries for lightweight, urgent items like prescription medications.