Amazon announced in a blog post on Wednesday that customers using Amazon Pharmacy in College Station, Texas, can now receive their prescription medications delivered by drone.
Eligible customers can choose from a selection of over 500 medications, including treatments for common conditions like asthma and the flu, which will be dropped off at their doorstep by a drone in less than 60 minutes at no extra charge, Amazon stated.
Shares of Amazon experienced a slight decline of approximately 1% on Wednesday.
Amazon Pharmacy, a comprehensive online pharmacy service, was launched by Amazon in 2020 following its acquisition of PillPack in 2018.
The company has been actively enhancing its Amazon Pharmacy offering by introducing prescription benefits and savings incentives for Prime members this year.
According to Amazon, its drones are equipped with cameras that enable them to identify objects such as people and animals.
Operating in airspace with minimal obstructions, these drones fly at altitudes ranging from 40 to 120 meters.
Once a drone confirms that the delivery area is clear, it descends to deliver the package containing the customer’s medication.
However, if obstacles are detected, the drone returns to the Amazon fulfillment center and makes another attempt later.
To qualify for drone delivery services, customers in College Station, Texas, must subscribe to Prime Air and complete a yard survey.
Amazon has been developing drone delivery technology for several years, although its progress has encountered varying degrees of success.
In August, Amazon saw the departure of two key executives from its drone delivery operations, and its Prime Air division underwent significant layoffs under CEO Andy Jassy.
Despite these internal changes, Amazon noted that it has successfully completed deliveries of “hundreds of household items” to consumers in College Station since late last year.
