Overview
- Amazon says a limited number of flights are underway from its Symmetry Park fulfillment center, and customer deliveries have not begun.
- The company expects to launch the service in 2026 for eligible Darlington customers, targeting sub–five-pound packages delivered in as little as two hours within an area of about 7.5 miles.
- MK30 drones use onboard detect-and-avoid perception and have been tested for beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations, with Amazon claiming compliance at or above FAA standards.
- A dedicated Prime Air Drone Delivery Centre at the site stores, deploys, and maintains the aircraft for the trial.
- Amazon reports ongoing coordination with Darlington Council and the Civil Aviation Authority and says the drones are designed to operate quietly at noise levels comparable to a van delivery.