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Amazon drone delivery service coming to Chicago south suburbs
Residents in Chicago’s south suburbs may need to look to the skies to receive their next Amazon order.
CHICAGO - Residents in Chicago’s south suburbs may need to look to the skies to receive their next Amazon order.
What we know:
Amazon said it will begin offering its Prime Air drone delivery service this summer near its fulfillment centers in Markham and Matteson, according to Crain’s Chicago Business.
Customers within a 7.5-mile radius of the centers will be eligible to receive select packages delivered by drone to their yards or driveways in as little as two hours, Crain’s reported.
The two Chicago-area facilities will join eight other Prime Air drone sites nationwide.
How drone delivery works
The drones, which weigh 83 pounds, take off from the fulfillment center parking lots and land at a delivery location chosen by the customer.
Each drone can carry packages weighing up to 5 pounds — roughly the size of a large shoebox.
Amazon told Crain’s that those weight limits cover more than 60% of the approximately 25 million items stored at each of the two Chicago-area fulfillment centers.
Customers in some existing Prime Air markets pay $4.99 for drone delivery. Amazon has not yet announced pricing for the Chicago-area locations.
Suburbs within range of the Markham facility include Tinley Park, Midlothian, Homewood, Flossmoor, Dolton and Blue Island, among others, according to Crain's.
Chicago Heights and Country Club Hills fall within the delivery radius of the Matteson center.
What you can do:
Residents interested in learning more about the drone service can attend an in-person information session March 2 at the Tinley Park Convention Center.
The Source: The information in this article was provided by a report from Crain's Chicago Business and Amazon.