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Amazon announced<\/a> Wednesday a major expansion of Amazon Prime Air, its drone delivery service, with plans to reach nearly 500 U.S. cities by the end of 2026. This marks a significant milestone as it expands the service\u2019s footprint by roughly 6x its current reach.\u00a0<\/p>\n Prime Air will soon launch in 11 locations: Tolleson, Arizona; Ruskin, Florida; Kansas City, Kansas; Papillion, Nebraska; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Hazel Park and Pontiac, Michigan; and Richmond, San Antonio, Richardson, and Waco, Texas.<\/p>\n The return to Tolleson is particularly notable given a drone accident <\/a>that occurred there last year. In October 2025, two drones collided with the boom of a crane. Amazon\u2019s drones have also previously drawn scrutiny following incidents, including clipping an internet cable<\/a> and crashing into a garden<\/a> and an apartment building<\/a>.<\/p>\n This is likely why Amazon reiterated its focus on safety as part of the announcement. The company highlighted Prime Air\u2019s \u201cindustry-leading Detect-and-Avoid system,\u201d which is designed to continuously monitor the airspace and surroundings of each drone. The drones also rely on onboard cameras and sensors for navigation, obstacle detection, and delivery. Plus, Amazon said the drones are designed to operate in real-world conditions, including light rain and a range of temperatures.\u00a0<\/p>\n Additionally, Prime Air operates under Federal Aviation Administration Part 135 certification, the same regulatory framework used by commercial air carriers.<\/p>\n \u201cCustomers already turn to Amazon for fast Same- and Next-Day Delivery, and Prime Air provides them an even speedier option when they need it, with deliveries in as fast as 30 minutes,\u201d David Carbon, vice president of Amazon Prime Air, said in a statement, adding that the service has \u201calready delivered hundreds of thousands of packages to customers by drone this year.\u201d<\/p>\n The service currently operates across seven states, including Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, and Texas. Amazon says launches in Georgia, Ohio, Illinois, Idaho, and New York are also coming soon.<\/p>\n Prime members receive free ultrafast drone delivery on eligible orders of $50 or more. For Prime members placing eligible orders under $50, the delivery fee is $2.99. Non-Prime customers pay a $4.99 delivery fee. Nearly all items 5 pounds or less can be delivered by drone.<\/p>\n Amazon\u2019s push comes as other major companies continue building their own drone delivery networks. Walmart<\/a> and Google parent Alphabet\u2019s Wing have been expanding a competing drone delivery operation, which the companies have described as the largest drone delivery network in the U.S. In June, the companies added seven new markets<\/a>, including Phoenix, Philadelphia, and the Bay Area.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission<\/a>. This doesn\u2019t affect our editorial independence.<\/em><\/p>\n