Online retailer Amazon’s Prime Air division has finally released its flagship MK30 drone, and we have to say it looks… distinct.

We are wondering whether it was its quest for a unique delivery drone that had the company burn through more than twenty prototypes until they settled on, first the MK27 drone which currently undergoing delivery trials in the community of Lockeford in California, USA.

Then there is this new MK30, that gives one the impression of a bread bin suspended in the middle of several small rotors.

Or the old Zip from Zipline suspended on several small rotors.

“Our newest drone, the MK30, is unlike any other drone,” Amazon Prime Air acknowledged in a statement.

“The new design can fly twice as far as previous Prime Air drone models, which will allow us to deliver to customers who live farther out from our fulfilment networks.

“The MK30 is quieter and will be able to fly in more diverse weather conditions—meaning customers can get super speedy deliveries even in situations like light rain, and hotter and colder temperatures. Our drones have a unique package delivery system, where packages are held inside drones during transit to protect their contents.”

And Amazon felt it important to emphasize that their new drone would work even in adverse weather conditions, because the model currently in operation in Lockeford has no licence to carry out deliveries during rainstorms, strong winds, extreme heat, and any other unfavourable weather conditions.

Besides, the MK27 only operates from 8AM to 3:30PM every day.

Given its previous mishaps, Amazon does appreciate that it has to scale challenges as high as Mt Everest to convince aviation authorities in the USA, whose restrictions currently keep Prime Air from flying its drones over people or roads.

In order to gain approval from the FAA for a broader rollout in the US, Prime Air must dock hundreds of hours of incident-free flights. But, given the fact that Prime Air currently operates in limited circumstances, it has had trouble meeting the agency’s requirements. Back in May of this year, Prime Air had only made 100 deliveries, reported CNBC.

The company added that, like previous models, the MK30 drone will operate autonomously, and is equipped with sense and avoid technology, which allows it to identify and avoid obstacles in the delivery area.

“The beauty of this system is it can sense and avoid objects that weren’t there the day before, for example, a freshly planted tree, or mobile crane moved into its path. Check out more details and photos of the MK30.”

The planned launch date for the MK30 is late 2024, with Amazon customers in Italy, the UK, and an additional city in the USA set to have the option to get their packages delivered by drone.

Which means that the new store that Amazon is set to launch in South Africa will be missing out on drone deliveries for now.

Amazon said it will be naming the cities in which drone-based deliveries will be carried out in due course.

“Drone deliveries will be integrating into Amazon’s delivery network, meaning drones will deploy from some Same-Day Delivery sites,” Amazon said.

“In Italy and the UK, we will start integrating into some of our fulfilment centres, which will provide Amazon customers with faster delivery of an even greater selection of items. We will start with one site in each location and expand over time.

“We are working closely with national regulators and international regulators, and communities in the EU, Italy, the UK, and the U.S., to develop this program. We have committed the necessary time and resources to build a safe and scalable service. We have refined the technology, and are now building the right infrastructure to ensure the service provides the ultimate convenience for our customers.”

You do have to marvel at the company’s persistence in the face of the several setbacks it has sustained in the ten has it has been trying to set up a reliable logistics operation for the goods it sales.

Hopefully, this will be umpteenth time lucky for them, and their fortunes will turn.

“Being chosen by a global player such as Amazon is further confirmation of the strategy pursued by ENAC (the National Civil Aviation Authority), to push for innovation of advanced air mobility in the aviation industry, creating a national ecosystem favourable to the safe development of new services,” said Pierluigi Di Palma, President of ENAC.

“Italy’s experience will be an inspiration and support for safe operations in the rest of Europe.”