Amazonis testing delivery packages using drones
(Reuters and Bloomberg News) Amazon.com Inc. is testing delivery packages using drones, CEO Jeff Bezos said Sunday on the CBS television program "60 Minutes."
Bezos said the drones, unmanned vehicles that fly through the air, could deliver packages that weigh up to five pounds. That represents roughly 86 percent of packages that Amazon delivers, he said.
The drones, which would pick up items from Amazon's distribution centers and fly them to customer's homes, probably won't be put into use for four or five years, Bezos said.
"It will work, and it will happen, and it's gonna be a lot of fun," he said in the "60 Minutes" interview.
Amazon may start using the drones, which can deliver packages within 30 minutes, in four to five years pending Federal Aviation Administration approval, Bezos said.
Amazon, based in Seattle, has been ramping up ways to get products to consumers more quickly, as it seeks to keep shoppers coming back to buy from its Web store instead of going to brick- and-mortar retailers. Some of Amazon's most lucrative customers are members of its $79-a-year Prime program, which promises fast delivery.
To cater to these customers, Amazon last month said it was teaming up with the U.S. Postal Service to begin Sunday delivery.
Separately, Amazon said in a statement that it will offer two limited-time deals on its Kindle Fire tablets as part of its Cyber Monday promotions. The company said it will offer $50 off its 16-gigabyte Kindle Fire HD and its 7-inch Kindle Fire HDX.
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