Amazon has turned to the UK to trial its hoped-for delivery by drone.
Amazon aims to use small unmanned aircraft to get items to customers in as little as 30 minutes.
Its plans for “Prime Air” drone delivery in the US were given a set-back by US officials so the retail giant approached the British transport minister, Robert Goodwill, about gaining permission to test the drone service in the UK.
According to Mr Goodwill, the move was a result of restrictive regulations in the US.
The minister said the UK was indeed interested in how it could be at the forefront of drone technology and development.
"We're working with Amazon," he said. "And Government is working on the whole issue of drones. We're meeting with the British Airline Pilots Association and we're both keen to innovate."
Last July, Amazon asked the US Federal Aviation Authority for an exemption from the rules, writing in its self-assured way that Amazon’s “energy comes from inventing on behalf of our customers… We believe customers will love [Prime Air]” and that they would provide drone delivery worldwide “as soon as we are permitted to do so”.
When the FAA gave permission last week for tests outdoors, Amazon said it had already moved development work abroad.
Paul Misener, Amazon's vice president for global public policy, said in evidence to US senators that while the FAA was considering its requests to test, “we innovated so rapidly that the [drone] approved last week by the FAA has become obsolete. We don’t test it anymore. We’ve moved on to more advanced designs that we already are testing abroad."
British law holds that drones must be kept within eyesight of the pilot and not fly above 400’. Any higher, and Civil Aviation Authority approval must be had.
Drones used for paid work also need CAA permission.
A spokesman for the Department for Transport said the UK government is working on an international regulatory framework. It added it will undertake a “public dialogue about the operation of drones later this year.”
