Amazon will expand Prime Air drone delivery to nearly 500 U.S. cities and towns by the end of the year.
This initiative represents a sixfold increase in the service's geographic footprint. The expansion targets suburban customers in major metros including Chicago, Atlanta, and Cleveland.
Drones will deliver packages weighing up to five pounds. Delivery times for these items will average 30 minutes or less.
Eligible inventory includes household essentials, cosmetics, and electronics. The move directly challenges Walmart for dominance in rapid delivery speeds.
Amazon considers this scaling effort a substantial investment in future logistics infrastructure.