Amazon readies unmanned 'Prime Air' delivery drones

Amazon has announced that it is testing unmanned delivery drones capable of shipping goods in just 30 minutes. The service - dubbed 'Prime Air' - is said to be ready as soon as legislation allows drones in public airspace.

Image credit: Amazon.

Imagine one of those delivering your copy of Battlefield 4. That'd be slightly meta, I think.

The BBC reports that Amazon's chief executive Jeff Bezos has confirmed the Prime Air drones are in testing now. During an interview on CBS show 60 Minutes, he predicted that the Octocopter devices are capable of delivering a 2.3kg within 30 minutes of a consumer order.

It all hinges on the US Federal Aviation Administration, which is yet to allow the use of unmanned drones for civilian use. Speaking with CBS, Bezo added "I know this looks like science fiction, but it's not. We can do half-hour delivery... and we can carry objects, we think, up to five pounds (2.3kg), which covers 86% of the items that we deliver."

Here's a video of the drone in action:

The use of unmanned drones within civilian airspace is expected in the US by 2015 and across Europe in 2016. Bezos concluded, "One day, Prime Air vehicles will be as normal as seeing mail trucks on the road today."

What do you make of the above? Would it be useful for getting launch games on day one, or does it scare the crap out of you?