Retail technology innovation of the week: Amazon makes progress towards home deliveries via drones in UK

Retail Technology Innovation of the Week is a series brought to you by RTIH and sponsored by 3D Cloud, highlighting stand out deployments, launches, and initiatives by retailers and tech suppliers.

Every week, we will showcase forward thinking tech plays that have impressed our Editor and the Retail Technology Innovations Report judging panel, alongside the publication of the 2024 report.

So far, we’ve flagged up sterling work being done by Ocado Retail, Decathlon, Lacoste, Downtown Spirits, TalkShopLive, Huck’s, Rovertown, Wing, Nobody’s Child, IKI, Pixevia, A.L.C., Archive, Therabody, Outform, Kingfisher, PMC, Boots UK, Ocula Technologies, Grace O'Malley Irish Whiskey, Metacask, Ikea, Carrefour Belgium, Matalan, and McDonald’s.

And this week we’re focusing on Amazon which has been given the green light to test fly drones beyond a human controller’s line of sight in the UK.

It is one of six organisations taking part in a trial led by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

This will gather key safety data, such as how drones detect and avoid other aircraft, the electronic signals they can send to be able to be visible to other airspace users and air traffic control.

The aim is to support the regulator’s ongoing development of policy and regulations so that drone flights can be fully integrated with other airspace users.

Sophie O’Sullivan, Director of Future of Flight at the CAA, says: “These innovative trials mark a significant step forward in integrating drones safely into UK airspace.”

“By supporting projects ranging from consumer deliveries to critical infrastructure inspections, we are gathering essential data to shape future policies and regulations.”

“Our goal is to make drone operations beyond visual line of sight a safe and everyday reality, contributing to the modernisation of UK airspace and the incorporation of new technology into our skies.”

Simon Masters, Future Flight Challenge Deputy Director at UK Research and Innovation, says: “The UKRI Future Flight challenge team are excited to be working in partnership with the UK Civil Aviation Authority, working together to accelerate the introduction of drone operations in the UK.”

“These have the potential to transform how we deliver goods and provide services, particularly in less well connected regions. These new sandbox projects are a great step towards realising these ambitions.”

Amazon said last year it wanted to launch home deliveries via drones in the UK and Italy before the end of 2024. It already offers this in parts of the US.

2024 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Online delivery is a key focus area for the sixth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards, which is now open for entries.

The awards, sponsored by CADS, 3D Cloud, and Retail Technology Show 2025, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Key 2024 dates

Friday, 25th October: Award entry deadline 

Tuesday, 29th October: 2024 shortlist revealed

30th October-6th November: Judging days

Thursday, 21st November: Winners announced at the 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards ceremony, to be held at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London.