UK becomes the only country outside the US to begin Amazon drone deliveries
May 7, 2026
The UK has become the first country outside of the US to allow global logistics giant Amazon to deliver parcels by drone.
The move comes after the Civil Aviation Authority approved the use of uncrewed aerial vehicles for the delivery of small parcels via its Prime Air operation back in January, paving the way for the logistics giant to begin same-day home deliveries in a limited area of the northeast UK.
The UK becomes the first country outside the US to allow Amazon drone deliveries
Amazon has begun to deliver parcels by drone in the UK, with a limited launch in Darlington, Northeast England.
Packages weighing less than 2.2kg (5lbs) and containing everyday items such as beauty products, batteries and small electronic items are now being delivered within a 7.5-mile (12 km) radius of Amazon’s fulfilment centre located in County Durham.
Using the MK30 drone, developed by Amazon in the US over the past few years, the company aims to make continuous deliveries, operating up to 10 flights per hour from its distribution centre in County Durham. Although launching on a limited weekday basis at first, Amazon hopes that flights will eventually take place 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
The service aims to deliver eligible packages under the weight limit within an hour, integrating into Amazon’s same-day delivery service for faster, streamlined service during daylight hours and fair weather.
Deliveries that fit into a shoe box-sized parcel are loaded onto the MK30 drone, which is then dropped from a height of around three meters (10ft) into the customers’ garden or driveway. So far in the UK, Amazon’s drones are currently delivering within two hours of orders being placed, according to the company.
The UK’s first drone deliveries have finally commenced
Although originally planned to launch in 2023, the start of UK home deliveries was delayed by the setting up of a UK-wide regulatory framework by the Civil Aviation Authority to allow Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations.
It was later delayed by investigations that were conducted in the US after two Amazon drones suffered mishaps while out on deliveries in Oregon in December 2024, followed by two further incidents in October involving two more MK30 drones that collided with a crane in Phoenix, Arizona.
Then, in early February this year, an MK30 drone making a delivery hit the side of an apartment building in a suburb of Dallas, Texas. The drone fell to the ground, breaking apart. Following this latest incident, Amazon said that the drone involved had drifted slightly off its path, having lost the GPS signal. It subsequently clipped the building’s guttering and fell to the ground. No one was injured, and Amazon has since stopped deliveries to these types of apartments.
However, in January this year, the CAA gave Amazon the green light to commence drone deliveries on a limited basis in the UK. While Amazon’s drone delivery service in Darlington remains at an early stage, the CAA has authorised flights to continue on a trial basis until the end of 2026.
As reported by the BBC, Amazon has secured temporary protected airspace, which is necessary for autonomous drone flights under the current BVLOS framework. Permission for this has initially been granted until mid-June, although Amazon expects that this will be extended as the safety and practicality of the drone operation are further demonstrated.
Amazon chooses Darlington as its UK test area – why?
Darlington was chosen by Amazon as the only place outside the US where Amazon is currently doing drone deliveries. The city was chosen because it has a mix of rural and built-up residential areas, major roads and an active airport all in proximity to one another. Amazon said that this environment was ideal in which to test how drones interact with the local environment, with a mix of real-world conditions and within the confines of an urban area.
Although some residents in Darlington have already said they are opposed to the use of drones, primarily based on the fear of potential aircraft noise, Amazon has offered assurances that the MK30 drones are designed to minimise disruption, with a minimal noise footprint and zero emissions.
The use of drones is expected to cause less noise disturbance than that created by delivery drivers’ slamming doors and reversing, said the company.
Elsewhere in the UK, drones are already being trialled by the NHS to deliver blood supplies around London, while Royal Mail is using them to send packages to remote communities in Orkney. With home deliveries now underway in Darlington, Amazon is already targeting other areas of the UK to roll out its drone-based delivery service in the future.
Amazon has been testing drone deliveries for years
Amazon initially tested drones in the countryside surrounding Cambridge (UK) a decade ago. However, these plans were terminated after the company became frustrated with the lack of progress being made by the CAA to regulate drone deliveries in the UK, among other concerns.
Since those initial trials in the UK, Amazon has been successfully carrying out drone delivery tests in various American cities over the past few years. Amazon’s Prime Air drone delivery service is currently active in five US states, including Texas, Arizona, Kansas, Florida, and Michigan.
Amazon’s MK30 drone has now become the standard drone in service with the company’s sites. The type is designed for longer flights, quieter operation, and better weather resistance. The MK30 drones fly precise paths and can operate during daylight and good weather, although they can also fly in rainy conditions and varied temperatures.
Once the delivery has been made, the MK30 returns to its base station under the watchful eyes of an operator based at a ground control centre. These controllers can track the drone in real time and can coordinate with local air traffic control (if necessary) to ensure safety margins are maintained at all times.
Featured image: Amazon Prime Air
