Amazon first in UK sky with their Darlington Drone delivery and drop out of the sky service to clients - if your gardens or yards are large enough. Amazon is using its most modern drone, the MK30, in Darlington. It has sensors to avoid any obstacles in its path - from trampolines and washing lines to people and other aircraft. As the drone approaches each drop-off point, it knows exactly where to release the package using GPS. 100 deliveries a week planned for a shoe box size delivery that is dropped from hover in a seven mile delivery range. Packages weighing less than two kg and containing everyday items are now being delivered within a seven mile radius of Amazon's fulfilment centre. Amazon is convinced there is demand for ultra-fast deliveries and hopes to slowly expand the service.
A decade in the making, David Carbon, vice president of Amazon Prime Air. ‘The certainty is people have never told us they want their stuff slower,’ ‘If you've got kids and you want fever medication, you want it. You don't want to drive to the store,’ In the UK, Amazon's drones currently deliver within two hours, but Carbon says the current average delivery time in the US is just over half an hour.
Amazon will carry out a maximum ten flights an hour, or up to a hundred deliveries a day on weekdays. The unmanned MK30 drone aircraft can drop off 100 parcels a day within a seven mile radius of Amazon's hub. For commercial drones to become an everyday reality, operators need to be able to fly them beyond the visual line of sight. That's what Amazon is doing in Darlington, but the drone will also be remotely tracked by an operator watching from computer screens back at base.
Nearly £50 million DfT government backing to power up drone and flying taxi tech and crack down on illegal drones
Number plates for drones.
Drone deliveries are arriving in UK air, a step closer to wider use in UK skies, as the government awards almost £50 million to unlock growth in the drone and advanced air mobility sector this week (5 May 2026).
Part of the £46.5 million investment will also see a crackdown on ‘faceless’ drones, which can be used in suspicious or illegal activity, through the first bespoke drone identification system. The measures will make it easier for police to identify illegal or nuisance users and clear the way for legitimate drone operators. Delivered through the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the funding will also cut red tape and support the regulatory, digital and security foundations needed to bring drones and advanced air mobility – such as electric flying taxis – into more routine use across the UK.
Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation Minister, Keir Mather, said: We’re backing the next generation of British aviation innovators with nearly £50 million to drive drone regulation reforms and unlock barriers to growth that will create jobs, lower emissions and further the UK’s world-leading aviation reputation. Innovation must go hand in hand with strong security – that’s why over half of our investment will develop a new ID system to track drones in real-time, supporting emergency services and building public confidence in an industry that could be worth up to £103 billion by 2050.
Security Minister, Dan Jarvis, said: This funding will create a numberplate system for the skies. Law enforcement will be able to identify and take action against those who break the law, taking drones out of the sky and protecting the public. Hybrid Remote ID works by sending out the drone’s ID and location during flight so nearby devices can pick it up, sharing flight details through a secure online system that authorised people can access even when they are not nearby and recording historic data.
The funding also includes £26.5 million to drive smarter regulation and cut red tape – making it easier for drones to be used in everyday public services and driving economic growth across the UK. This includes speeding up approvals for drone operations for emergency responses, medical logistics and infrastructure inspection, driving forward regulation to get flying taxis in the sky from 2028. Drone operators will also benefit from a streamlined digital application process, reducing the time required to navigate regulations and prepare applications. The government is clear that regulation must support growth (PDF), with a focus on faster, more predictable approvals and a better experience for operators, while maintaining the UK’s high safety standards.
