Overview
- Amazon confirmed it has started a limited number of Prime Air flights from its Darlington fulfilment centre at Symmetry Park.
- Customer deliveries have not begun, with an official UK rollout expected in 2026 for packages under five pounds delivered in about two hours.
- The trials use MK30 drones designed for lower noise and equipped with perception cameras to identify obstacles and other aircraft.
- The Civil Aviation Authority approved local airspace changes for the tests and is targeting routine beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations by 2027.
- Operations are confined to a ringfenced area with separation from other air traffic, planning permission caps potential deliveries at 10 per hour, and Amazon has a noise-complaints plan reporting monthly to the council.