Amazon launches drone deliveries in KC
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Amazon's delivery drones are flying in parts of the Kansas City metro as of this week, adding a new way for customers to get their packages.
The big picture: KC is among a growing number of metros where Amazon is rolling out drone delivery services alongside its existing warehouses and delivery networks.
By the numbers: As of summer 2024, Amazon reported about 8,200 full and part-time employees in the KC area, according to the KC Business Journal.
- Statewide, the company said it employs 9,500 people in Missouri and 7,000 in Kansas, with more than $14 billion invested across both states.
What they're saying: Amazon says the drone program adds jobs rather than replacing driving delivery roles.
- "This site has created 30 new roles at the site, as it offers an additional type of delivery service," a company spokesperson tells Axios. "Prime Air employees at the site are based in the Kansas City metro area."
How it works: Prime Air operates out of Amazon's MKC6 fulfillment center in Kansas City, Kansas.
- The company says its delivery drones are FAA-approved, fly autonomously with human operators monitoring flights, use onboard systems to detect and avoid other aircraft, and operate at noise levels comparable to a delivery van.
For now, drone deliveries are limited to packages weighing up to 5 pounds within about a 7.5-mile radius of the facility and only during daylight hours.
- Larger or longer distance deliveries will continue to be handled through Amazon's traditional delivery network.
- Prime members can use drone delivery for $4.99 per delivery.
The bottom line: Amazon's delivery drones are adding a new layer to how the company moves packages in KC while creating a small number of new jobs tied to the service.