The basics:

• Amazon Prime Air drone delivery launches in parts of South Jersey in mid-October
• Delivery area will include parts of Gloucester, Camden counties
• Drones will fly lightweight packages from Amazon‘s West Deptford fulfillment center
• Eligible packages can arrive in as little as 30 minutes

Amazon delivery drones will soon be landing in South Jersey.

The service will be available in areas of Gloucester and Camden counties starting in mid-October, according to a map shared by local officials. The roughly 15-mile delivery radius would also extend across the Delaware River into South Philadelphia and some surrounding suburbs, the map shows.

In an Aug. 21 social media post, Mantua Township Police Chief William Murphy said the e-commerce giant recently held a virtual meeting with public safety leaders from across the region to discuss plans to begin flying lightweight packages from its West Deptford fulfillment center.

Mantua Township Mayor Bob Zimmerman shared in his own statement, “Please understand that whether you are for, or against deliveries of this kind by drones, we have no say over this matter.”

According to Murphy, Amazon indicated it will limit drones “to a period beginning 15 minutes before sunrise and ending 15 minutes after sunset.” He also said the devices are “authorized to operate at altitudes below 400 feet.”

Both Murphy and Zimmerman promised to keep residents updated on the matter.

“We are always exploring new ways to get customers a wider selection at faster speeds. Prime Air currently delivers to customers in locations across the country and the response from customers using Prime Air has been overwhelmingly positive,” a media representative from Amazon told NJBIZ. “We are currently working with local officials and exploring opportunities to expand our fast, reliable drone delivery service to reach customers in areas across the country.”

We are always exploring new ways to get customers a wider selection at faster speeds.
– Amazon representative

Coming in for a landing

The upcoming South Jersey rollout comes as Amazon plans to grow its delivery-by-drone program to nearly 500 suburban areas across the U.S. by the end of 2026.

Currently, Prime Air operates from just 11 Amazon facilities nationwide spanning 10 metropolitan regions in Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska and Texas. Those sites make “thousands of deliveries” daily of items like groceries, electronics, cosmetics and household products, Amazon said in an Aug. 19 press release.

Suburban areas in Syracuse, Chicago, Cleveland, Atlanta and Boise also expect to launch the service later this year, according to the company.

Though Amazon did not specifically announce South Jersey as part of the rollout, the company is looking to fill several Prime Air-specific jobs in West Deptford. Available positions include ground handler, flight monitor, operations manager and safety & compliance officer.

Because each Prime Air site covers a roughly 175 square mile radius, one facility can serve multiple communities, the company said. For customers in areas eligible for the service, drone delivery will appear as an option while shopping and at checkout.

Nearly all items 5 pounds or less that fit in a large shoebox are deliverable by drone, the company said. Amazon noted that category encompasses more than 60% of products most frequently purchased by customers. It also says those orders can arrive in as little as 30 minutes, although most take closer to an hour.

Prime members receive free drone delivery on orders of at least $50 and pay $2.99 for smaller orders. Non-Prime customers pay $4.99, according to Amazon.

‘An even speedier option’

The push to reach tens of millions of consumers nationwide comes more than a decade after Amazon founder and former CEO Jeff Bezos first outlined his vision for aerial package delivery, The Associated Press reported.

Although Prime Air lifted off in 2022, growth was slower than initially expected due to regulatory hurdles, technical changes and noise concerns. However, after a key Federal Aviation Administration approval in 2024 cleared the way for longer-range flights, Amazon has begun a broader expansion of the service, according to the AP.

Amazon Prime Air Vice President David Carbon commented, “Customers already turn to Amazon for fast Same- and Next-Day Delivery, and Prime Air provides them an even speedier option when they need it, with deliveries in as fast as 30 minutes.”

“We’ve already delivered hundreds of thousands of packages to customers by drone this year, and by the end of 2026 we plan to reach customers in nearly 500 cities and towns. We’re pairing the convenience of ultrafast drone delivery with the low prices and selection customers love about Amazon,” he said.