Chronological coverage updated 11th September 2026 17:58.
Update 1 · 11th September 2026
Amazon Files for Regulatory Approval to Expand UK Drone Delivery Trial
Amazon has submitted a formal application to the Civil Aviation Authority seeking regulatory approval to expand its UK drone delivery trial to cover the entire town of Darlington. The site in County Durham was chosen as the test facility for the company's Prime Air service, marking the initial deployment of its parcel delivery drones outside the United States.
Operational Parameters and Performance
Since starting limited trial flights within a 7.5-mile radius of its site, Amazon reports that it has completed more than 500 successful flights and deliveries. Under current guidelines, eligible customers with private gardens, yards, or driveways can receive items within two hours, provided the order weighs under 5lb and fits inside a large shoebox. Fulfillment staff at the facility reported a record delivery time of 39 minutes.
BBC News reportedly quoted David Carbon (Vice President of Prime Air at Amazon) as saying: “There's lots of advantages that come with the drone, but most importantly for our customers, we've never had a customer say 'send my package slower'. Speed is always critical.”.
Safety Incidents and Future Ambitions
The expansion request comes despite a safety incident in July, when an investigation was launched after a delivery drone crashed into a residential garden in Darlington. Amazon stated that no injuries occurred and attributed the crash to the drone making contact with an object extending above the roof of a moving vehicle, asserting the aircraft responded as designed to reach the ground safely. Executives maintain that the ultimate goal remains scaling drone delivery operations across the wider UK network.
- Amazon wants to expand its drone delivery footprint from a 7.5-mile radius to the entirety of Darlington.
- Over 500 test flights have been conducted, delivering small packages under 5lb to private properties.
- An investigation was conducted in July following a drone crash involving a moving vehicle.