Amazon really, really wants to make drone deliveries normal as it expands to 500 cities

Jeff Bezos's drone delivery concept, initially showcased on 60 Minutes in 2013, has finally materialized at an unprecedented scale. Amazon plans to roll out Prime Air to an impressive 500 cities and towns by the end of 2026, up from the current 11 locations spanning seven states. The expansion includes the addition of Chicago, Atlanta, Cleveland, Syracuse, and Boise, with more communities joining later in the year.

David Carbon, Prime Air's vice president, revealed in an internal meeting that the service anticipates reaching 1 million total deliveries this year, positioning it as the most in-demand drone delivery system globally. Amazon has already executed hundreds of thousands of drone deliveries in 2026, with thousands occurring daily. Orders typically reach customers within 30 minutes, though most arrive closer to the one-hour mark.

Pricing remains straightforward: free for Prime members on orders over $50, $2.99 for Prime members on smaller orders, and $4.99 for non-members. Drones can transport packages weighing up to 5 pounds, covering more than 60% of Amazon's most commonly ordered items, including groceries, electronics, cosmetics, and medications.

However, the safety of drone deliveries has raised concerns. Amazon's drones collided with a crane in Arizona in October and damaged an internet cable in Texas in November, prompting federal investigations. A separate inquiry in the UK followed a drone crash in England. Despite these incidents, Amazon operates with FAA Part 135 certification, equivalent to commercial airline standards, and relies on its Detect and Avoid system for real-time safety decisions.

Amazon's aggressive expansion is driven by both catching up to competitors and expanding its market share. Google's Wing has already surpassed 1 million deliveries, while Zipline has completed 2 million across four continents. This massive rollout underscores Amazon's commitment to advancing drone deliveries from a niche concept to a mainstream service.