See it. Want it. Get it — delivered from the sky in under an hour.

That futuristic scenario will soon be an everyday option for many residents of the Spring Branch District, as Amazon prepares to launch its Prime Air Drone Delivery service in the area later this summer.

The delivery program is designed to bring thousands of popular items to customers’ homes in 60 minutes or less using fully autonomous drones.

The service will initially be available to stand-alone homes, with Amazon working toward expanding deliveries to multi-unit housing in the future.

How Drone Delivery Works

When customers in eligible areas place an order on Amazon.com or through the Amazon app, they’ll see drone delivery as a shipping option for qualifying items.

They can then select drone delivery at checkout and choose from up to three available delivery points on their property.

Next, at Amazon’s STX5 facility in the area, located at 5215 Campbell Rd., warehouse workers will load the order and a fully charged battery onto a drone.

The drone will then take off vertically, transition to horizontal flight, and travel toward the customer’s address.

Upon arrival, the drone will scan the delivery area, then descend and scan the delivery point to make sure there are no people, pets, vehicles or objects in the way.

Finally, once the area is clear, the drone will hover at around 12-15 feet, release the package at the designated point, and return to the delivery center.

If Amazon is unable to complete a drone delivery—for example, due to bad weather or an unexpected obstruction—the company will switch to traditional ground delivery for that order.

Meet the MK30 Drone

At the heart of Prime Air is the MK30 drone, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)–certified aircraft designed specifically for low-altitude package delivery.

The MK30 is approximately 5 feet 6 inches by 4 feet 11 inches and weighs about 83 pounds. It can deliver packages up to 5 pounds, which accounts for roughly 67% of the items stocked at the STX5 center for same-day or next-day delivery. The drone is built to fly in wind and light rain, although service will pause during heavy rain, strong winds, extreme heat, or other unsafe conditions.

Amazon follows a pre-programmed flight plan — similar to small airplanes — and coordinates with other agencies that operate drones, such as local police. The eligible area covers about a 7 1/2 mile radius from the Spring Branch Amazon warehouse.

The MK30 is equipped with multiple layers of technology designed to keep people and property safe. It uses Detect & Avoid systems to avoid other aircraft and obstacles in the air. In addition, a perception system detects humans, animals and obstacles at the chosen delivery point before the package is dropped.

Some residents have raised concerns about privacy as drones begin flying over neighborhoods. Amazon says its design choices are intended to address those issues.

According to Amazon, the drones are equipped with a forward-facing camera used primarily for navigation and safety. The company reports that there are no downward-facing cameras collecting imagery of people, vehicles or backyards as part of routine operations.

Residents also have the option to blur their homes in the imagery used to determine available delivery areas by contacting Amazon.

While Spring Branch is preparing for launch later this summer, Amazon’s Prime Air drones are already flying in several U.S. communities.

Noise has been a key concern in other cities where drone delivery is operating. In Richardson, Texas, for example, nearby residents reported issues with the sound and frequency of flights.

In response, Amazon made specific adjustments, including raising minimum altitudes for outbound flights to an average of around 225 feet. It also rerouted some flights to pass over more commercial areas before crossing into certain residential neighborhoods.

The local site will operate a fleet of about 12 drones when the program launches. Drone delivery is expected to carry a starting fee of $4.99 per order.

Leading up to the launch of the drone program in Spring Branch, Amazon is planning meet-and-greet events where residents can see the MK30 drone up close.

Amazon will also offer presentations to neighborhood organizations and homeowners’ associations and provide opportunities for residents to ask questions about safety, privacy, noise, hours of operation and customer experience.

So, stay tuned for more information meetings, and — later this summer — watch for your neighbors’ household essentials flying through the air.

Questions? Contact Sam Bailey at [email protected].

— Dorothy Puch Lillig