Amazon will begin drone delivery service in metro Phoenix in 2024

The big picture: The Valley will become the third U.S. region to experience the futuristic delivery method. The service will be available only in the West Valley at first.

• The service launched in College Station, Texas, and Lockeford, California, in 2022.

How it works: Drones will deploy from a facility next to Amazon's same-day delivery site in Tolleson and deliver packages in less than an hour.

• Amazon said it will begin reaching out to West Valley customers to encourage them to sign up for the service as soon as it has FAA and local permissions.

What we're watching: Amazon has developed a new MK30 drone, which it plans to deploy in Phoenix.

• It's quieter and can fly farther and in more diverse weather conditions than Amazon's currently deployed drones.
• It will allow delivery to customers with smaller backyards and in more densely populated suburban areas, according to the company.

Between the lines: In College Station and Lockeford, Amazon had to conduct yard surveys before a customer was eligible for delivery.

• The new drone will nix the need for the survey and allow a more "streamlined" onboarding process for customers, a spokesperson told Axios Phoenix.

What they're saying: "By bringing this service to new communities, they're not just delivering goods; they're delivering opportunities and economic growth for all," Tolleson Mayor Juan Rodriguez said in a statement.

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to note Amazon's new MK30 drone flies farther than its other drones, not higher.