Amazon set to expand drone delivery of lightweight packages to 500 US cities

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Category: Business

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Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. lightweight / ˈlaɪtˌweɪt / (adj.) – not heavy; weighing less than usual or less than another similar thing
    Example:

    These shoes are lightweight, so they are comfortable for walking.


  2. suburban / səˈbɜr bən / (adj.) – describing a place or area that is around or outside major cities where many people live
    Example:

    Martha moved from the city to a suburban neighborhood.


  3. intensify / ɪnˈtɛn səˌfaɪ / (v.) – to become stronger, or to make something stronger
    Example:

    The plan to launch similar products might intensify the two companies’ competition.


  4. hurdle / ˈhɜr dl / (n.) – a problem or difficulty that someone must deal with before they can achieve something
    Example:

    The team successfully cleared the final hurdle and reached its goal.


  5. pose / poʊz / (v.) – to cause or create a problem or difficulty
    Example:

    Plastic waste poses a major environmental risk.


Article

Read the text below.

Millions more people may be able to get smaller, lightweight Amazon packages delivered by drones by the end of the year under a plan the company announced to expand airborne shipping to suburban areas in nearly 500 US cities.


Customers could receive the drone deliveries in as fast as 30 minutes, Amazon said in a news release. The drones can carry packages up to 5 pounds.


The plan will intensify the battle between Amazon and Walmart to provide consumers with the fastest delivery times. Both giants rely on a mix of drones and drivers to deliver everything consumers have ordered.


The goal is not necessarily about cutting costs by replacing drivers and trucks—and drones that can only carry one package at a time would have a hard time doing that. But instead, these companies are using drones as one tool to help keep customers happy with quicker deliveries, banking on a faster delivery system attracting more shoppers.


Amazon’s plan would expand its drone delivery operation more than sixfold nationwide into hundreds of new communities, including the Chicago, Atlanta, Cleveland, and Boise metro areas. The drones will primarily fly in the suburbs, well away from skyscrapers and major airports that could cause problems. Each drone site serves multiple cities in a metro area, and Amazon would not say exactly how many new sites it is planning to begin flying from.


Hundreds of thousands of packages have already been delivered by Amazon drones this year, but even after this expansion, drones will still only handle a fraction of the hundreds of millions of package deliveries each year. In addition to only being able to carry 5 pounds, the drones Amazon builds face countless challenges, from tree cover to landscaping and inflatable pools that can make it hard to find a good drop zone.


There are also regulatory hurdles to overcome in every community where Amazon wants to set up operations. Noise concerns also pose a potential challenge.


“It’s still an experiment. It’s still in test-and-learn mode,” said Sucharita Kodali, who is a retail analyst with Forrester.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • Amazon plans to get smaller, lightweight packages delivered by drones by the end of the year. If drone delivery were available in your country, would you use it? Why or why not? What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of drone delivery? Discuss.
  • Amazon says some drone deliveries could arrive in as fast as 30 minutes, with the goal of keeping customers happy through faster delivery. In your opinion, has very fast delivery changed what people expect when they shop, or has it just made people less patient? Why do you say so? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • An analyst points out that drones are still an experiment and that Amazon is in “test-and-learn mode,” despite having already delivered hundreds of thousands of packages by drone this year. Is it better for companies to experiment early with new ideas, even when many of those ideas may not work? Why do you say so? Would you try using a service that is still being tested or wait until it is more reliable? Why? Discuss.
  • Amazon and Walmart are using a combination of drones and drivers rather than simply replacing drivers and trucks with drones. When a new technology works alongside people instead of replacing them, do you think that makes technological change easier to accept? Why or why not? What kinds of jobs do you think should still be done by humans even if technology could eventually perform parts of them? Discuss.