Amazon is done running pilot programs. Expanding drone delivery to 500 cities by the end of the year is the point at which Prime Air becomes something you might actually use, not just something you read about. Amazon Prime Air is an amazing service, I feel, for those people who live in rural locations where sending a delivery truck just does not make financial sense. If it is less expensive for Amazon (or the consumer) to use a drone than to pay a driver and for gas, then it makes a lot of sense to me.
Similar to recent Waymo expansion announcements, I’m still amazed that we are truly starting to live a Jetson’s lifestyle. Drone delivery feels like a luxury, though. Having a drone deliver fast food feels a bit excessive. I worry a bit about the airways becoming cluttered with drones in the future, but I know that is coming (and there is probably a huge industry for controlling, managing, and regulating those flights).
We are already somewhat spoiled (at least in some metro and suburban areas) on same-day deliveries. Those typically take a couple of hours to fulfill. The promise of 30-minute deliveries truly plays into the instant gratification we are all becoming used to.