First look inside facility where Amazon is developing technology to deliver packages to your home by DRONE in less than 30mins
Internet shopping giant using 3D printers to produce flying robots capable of carrying 2kg packages up to 15 miles
THESE pictures show the first look inside a secretive lab where Amazon is developing drones to deliver packages to people's homes.
At the workshop in Cambridge, the company is using 3D printing technology to produce flying robots that it says will enable it to drop off packages in just 30 minutes.
The drones will use GPS coordinates to find their delivery destination, flying to a maximum height of 400ft before identifying a marker to land and deliver the package.
The fully automated gadgets will each be watched individually by a safety operator who will eventually watch many at the same time, after their safety has been proven.
Kristen Kish, from Prime Air’s corporate communications, said: "If there are any obstacles that are in the way like a tree, through its ‘sense and avoid system’ it can navigate around those.
"There are those unexpected obstacles that can roll in unexpected – if it's started to land then it goes straight up again.
"We would rather not deliver the package than risk the safety. Any data we have is only going to be used for safety."
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The company is keeping tight-lipped about when the service will begin, but said they will not launch it until they are "able to demonstrate safe operations".
In July the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) lifted strict drone flying restrictions to enable Amazon to start testing its drones – including testing sensor performance to make sure the drones can identify and avoid obstacles.
Kristen said: "We think customers will love it. But this is not the only thing we do.
"Amazon customers have choice. It's ultimately going to depend on customer demand.
"If it's a service they want to use great but we're going to give them options.
"We're continuing to do more and more in Cambridgeshire. It's continuing to be an area of significance and importance for Amazon.
"We want to get the talent and want to encourage science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) with students here, it's just so important we're promoting that science.
"The community is so important to us. We're continuing to expand our opportunities here and wanted to bring people in.
"We love the UK, we have a really strong base here in the UK and a lot of opportunity here – our customers are fantastic.
"Cambridge is a hub of innovation. It has a long history of doing amazing things. For us it really made good sense – there is fantastic talent here too."
The Cambridge site is the largest outdoor testing facility in the UK and is one of a number of testing sites in the country along with laboratories in Austria, Israel and the US.
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