Technology

Amazon debuts prescription delivery via drone

Photo: Adobe Stock

October 27, 2023

Amazon is taking prescription drug delivery to the sky as it launches an official drone delivery service in Texas.

Customers in College Station can get a prescription dropped on the door step within an hour of order placement, according to an Amazon blog post.

The package is dropped as the drone hits about 13 feet above from the destination and will allow items for basic health issues such as colds and flu but not items that are deemed controlled substances.

Eligible Amazon Pharmacy customers can select "free drone delivery in less than 60 minutes" at checkout.

"We're taught from the first days of medical school that there is a golden window that matters in clinical medicine," Dr. Vin Gupta, chief medical officer of Amazon Pharmacy, wrote in the blog. "That's the time between when a patient feels unwell and when they're able to get treatment. We're working hard at Amazon to dramatically narrow the golden window from diagnosis to treatment, and drone delivery marks a significant step forward. Whether it's an infectious disease or respiratory illness, early intervention can be critical to improving patient outcomes."

The service launches following pilot testing of household items in late 2022. The Federal Aviation Administration issued Amazon a certificate of approval for the retailer's Prime Air drone fleet in the fall of 2020.

Customer reaction to retailer's drone delivery has been mixed. As RetailCustomerExperience reported in January some residents in Glendale, Arizona aren't too thrilled with Walmart's delivery drone testing, with one resident stating it sounds like a hornet's nest being disturbed.

Yet, nearly half, 48%, of consumers are willing to pay more money for drone delivery if it means getting items in an hour, according to a Smarty survey that also revealed 43% of consumers are not concerned about drone delivery and 51% would be "less concerned" about drone delivery if delivery was an hour or less.