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AMAZON has been given the green light to test deliveries by drone.
The online retail giant is now poised to run the service for items weighing under 5lb by the end of the year.
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Its Prime Air deliveries should arrive within an hour.
The move follows approval from the Civil Aviation Authority for trials of so-called beyond visual line of sight drone flights. Amazon, which tested an early version in Cambs in 2016 and already has drones flying in California and Texas, was one of six organisations given the nod.
Other projects include inspecting offshore wind farms and delivering emergency medical supplies.
The regulator says what it calls “advanced technologies” will be used to navigate and detect other aircraft.
CAA director of future of flight Sophie O’Sullivan said: “These innovative trials mark a significant step forward in integrating drones safely into UK airspace.
“By supporting projects ranging from consumer deliveries to critical infrastructure inspections, we are gathering essential data to shape future policies and regulations.
“Our goal is to make drone operations beyond visual line of sight a safe and everyday reality, contributing to the modernisation of UK airspace and the incorporation of new technology into our skies.”
Amazon Prime Air vice president and general manager David Carbon said: “It’s crucial for operators like us to have clear regulatory requirements in order to bring and scale new technologies, such as drone delivery, to customers in the UK.
“We appreciate the CAA’s effort to partner with us to help bring clarity to the regulations that support commercial drone delivery.”
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