Amazon wants drones in New York State
Amazon has asked the municipality of Clay, in New York State, for authorisation to launch a Prime Air drone delivery service from its logistics centre already operating on Morgan Road. The project would cover an area of 176 square miles, or around 456 km², with an operating radius of 7.5 miles, or about 12 km. The initiative would mark the company’s first Prime Air service in the north-eastern United States. Deliveries would involve products weighing less than 5 lb, or 2.3 kg, and Amazon is targeting delivery times of under two hours in the initial phase, with the aim of bringing them below one hour. The service would have an indicative cost of $4.99, or about €4.40, for Prime customers and $9.99, or about €8.80, for other users. Operations depend both on approval from the Federal Aviation Administration and clearance from the local planning authority. Flights would take place only during the day and in favourable weather conditions. The Mk30 drone, already used by Amazon, can carry up to 2.3 kg, reach a speed of around 113 km/h and operate at an altitude of about 61 metres. The choice of the Syracuse area will allow Amazon to test the effectiveness of the model in a climate marked by harsh winters and frequent snowfall.
New Amazon robot with AI
Amazon has unveiled a new AI-based version of its Proteus mobile robot as part of a €10 billion investment plan for its European fulfilment network. The new Proteus will be introduced in Europe in the first half of 2027 and will be able to operate across the entire warehouse floor, expanding beyond its current use, which is limited to loading areas. The system is designed to receive instructions in natural language and independently manage priorities, routes and operating times. Amazon has also presented Stark, a robotic system for handling containers, initially trialled in Barcelona and planned for deployment at 15 European sites by 2027. The new developments also include Vulcan, the company’s first robot with a sense of touch. On the distribution side, Amazon plans to open more than 25 same-day delivery sites in Europe in 2026, with new launches in the United Kingdom and Germany. The company has also announced the expansion of its Amazon Now service and a broader same-day delivery offering for fresh food products in several markets.
Autonomous transport in mining
Volvo Autonomous Solutions and Boliden have completed the first project under the memorandum of understanding signed in 2023 at the Garpenberg site in Sweden, focused on autonomous transport in mining operations. Material was collected from an internal quarry at the site and used to reinforce a local dam and raise its embankment. The operation autonomously moved almost 700,000 tonnes of rock material, with more than 11,000 transport cycles and 56,000 kilometres travelled. The solution used was Autona Earth, Volvo Autonomous Solutions’ offering for mines and quarries, based on the autonomous Volvo FH mining truck, an internally developed virtual driver, infrastructure, operational support and maintenance. The service is provided as transport and integrates autonomous technology into the customer’s existing operations, with Volvo Autonomous Solutions responsible for technical complexity and regulatory compliance. The project confirms that autonomous transport can be applied at operational scale in some mining activities, with benefits in terms of safety and efficiency.
Tankers with sail navigation
Lloyd’s Register has signed a memorandum of understanding with K Shipbuilding, Bound4blue and the Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry to develop a 50,000 dwt tanker with wind-assisted propulsion. Under the agreement, signed on 4 June during Posidonia in Athens, the project aims to define and optimise a newbuild design integrating Bound4blue’s eSail technology, which is based on suction sails to harness wind energy and generate direct thrust. The objective is to improve efficiency, reduce fuel consumption and support compliance with emissions regulations. The project partners will carry out technical and regulatory assessments of the design, including checks against the latest class rules and Imo requirements. Lloyd’s Register will provide technical assurance, design assessment and support towards approval in principle, working with Liscr on regulatory alignment. The collaboration aims to reduce uncertainty around the adoption of wind-assisted propulsion in the tanker market by validating performance, safety and regulatory compliance at an early stage.
