With a record number of Americans shopping online this holiday season, businesses are competing to get items delivered faster than ever before. Amazon has been an aggressive leader when it comes to shipping speed.
Now competitors including Best Buy and Google Express are also offering same day or next day shipping in some cities. Amazon again raised the bar with Prime Now. The service offers free, two hour delivery in 24 markets in the U.S., and even a one hour delivery option for $8.
“They just want to get it to you as fast as possible and so they’re going to use any means at their disposal that’s why drones could be one leg of that,” said Edmund Lee, Managing Editor, Recode.
Amazon has also been developing what it calls Prime Air, unmanned drone, able to get packages to customers in 30 minutes or less.
That service won’t take off, until the FAA gives its approval. Google and Walmart are also starting to test their own drone delivery systems.
