Amazon shows off future drone delivery service in ad starring Jeremy Clarkson

Amazon has unveiled a new ad starring former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson as it promotes its upcoming ‘Prime Air’ drone delivery service.

In the light-hearted ad, Clarkson, who has signed a deal to work on a new car show for Amazon Prime’s streaming service, narrates on-screen as a family orders a new pair of football boots for their daughter after their pet dog chewed the previous pair.

It then shows Prime Air in action as a drone delivers the football boots by air within 30 minutes and creates a landing area in the fictional family’s garden.

The ad, which shows off the ecommerce giant’s delivery drone prototype, comes two years after Amazon first revealed its ambitions to develop a delivery service making use of drone technology.

The new prototype drone can cover 15 miles and fly at more than 55mph, with its design enabling delivery within 30 minutes after a Prime customer places an order. It also makes use of “sense and avoid” technology to dodge potential obstacles en route to its delivery destination.

Making drone delivery a reality

The online ad is a bid to generate awareness of the service rather than any clear sign of an imminent roll-out.

Although Amazon tested the prototype drones in Canada earlier this year, it is still some way off making drone delivery a reality.

The US government, in particular, remains a big obstacle as it harbours concerns over the safety of deliveries in cities that have far less space than rural areas.

The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority, however, has indicated it is open to the idea of delivery drones flying beyond line of sight.

Amazon remains convinced it will soon make drone delivery a reality. “One day, seeing Prime Air vehicles will be as normal as seeing mail trucks on the road,” said a spokesman earlier this month.

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