Amazon’s delivery drones are built to fly through rain, extreme heat and freezing temperatures
Amazon’s Prime Air drones can deliver packages in as little as 30 minutes, but every flight starts with a close look at the weather.
A closer look into how Amazon uses drones to deliver packages
AMAZON DRONE DELIVERY SERVICE TAKES FLIGHT: FOX Weather Correspondent Katie Byrne reports from Richmond, Texas, where Amazon is utilizing drones to deliver packages through all weather conditions such as rain, wind and snow.
THE TAKEAWAY
- Amazon’s delivery drones are designed to fly through light rain, extreme heat and below-freezing temperatures.
- Weather conditions, including wind and rain, are analyzed before each drone flight to determine whether it can safely launch.
- Prime Air is expanding rapidly, with Amazon planning to bring drone delivery to nearly 500 cities and towns by the end of 2026.
RICHMOND, Texas – The future of home delivery is taking off.
Amazon Air drones are designed to deliver packages to your doorstep through a wide range of weather conditions, from light rain and extreme heat to below-freezing temperatures.
FOX Weather Correspondent Katie Byrne traveled to Richmond, Texas, to visit one of Amazon’s drone delivery facilities where packages can be flown directly to customers' homes.
An Amazon drone makes a delivery in Papillion, Neb. on Thursday, July 30, 2026. Amazon's Prime Air delivery service has started for the Omaha Metro area, giving eligible customers within a 7.5-mile radius of its fulfillment center off Nebraska Highway 370 in Papillion the ability to order millions of items weighing 5 pounds or less for drone drop-off within two hours of ordering. (Joseph Ciembroniewicz/Omaha World-Herald via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The drones can carry items weighing less than five pounds that fit inside a shoebox, a category Amazon said accounts for about 60% of the items ordered through its platform.
Some of the most common orders include baby formula and over-the-counter medications.
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Just like any other flight, these high-flying deliveries are at the mercy of the weather.
A delivery drone used by Amazon's Prime Air delivery service is pictured on the second day of 'Delivering the Future EMEA '26', at Amazon's LCY3 Fulfillment Centre in Dartford, east of London, on June 4, 2026. (JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Amazon analyzes the forecast 75 minutes ahead of each potential flight, looking closely at wind, rain and extreme temperatures before determining whether a delivery can safely take off.
Despite those challenges, the drones are designed to operate in a wide range of conditions across the country, from light rain to extreme heat and temperatures below freezing.
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A drone is displayed during trials of the Amazon drone delivery service for the UK, which are taking place at its Darlington fulfilment centre. (Annabel Lee-Ellis/PA Images via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Amazon Chief Engineer Hang Nguyen-Grove told FOX Weather that the drones undergo extensive weather testing before making deliveries, including exposure to water, spray and other harsh conditions.
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Cities and states with air deliveries. (FOX Weather)
Amazon’s Prime Air service is currently available in 14 cities across nine states for customers who live within 7.5 miles of a delivery facility, though Amazon plans to expand its drone delivery service to nearly 500 cities and towns by the end of the year.