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Amazon Launching Drone Delivery in Chicago Suburbs
Residents in parts of South Suburbs can expect two-hour drone deliveries starting this summer.
Published on Feb. 17, 2026
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Amazon has announced it will begin rolling out its Prime Air drone delivery service from its fulfillment centers in Markham and Matteson, Illinois. The service will be available to customers living within an 8-mile radius, allowing them to receive certain packages weighing up to 5 pounds in as little as two hours after ordering.
Why it matters
Drone delivery has been anticipated for over a decade, but regulatory and safety hurdles have slowed its widespread adoption. Amazon's launch in the Chicago suburbs could serve as a test case for how well this convenience can work in practice, while also raising questions about privacy, noise pollution, and the future of local delivery.
The details
The drone delivery service will be limited to items about the size of a shoebox and no more than 5 pounds. Amazon has been piloting drone delivery in select US markets for years, but this will be one of the first large-scale rollouts of the technology. Regulatory approvals, airspace rules, and the need for autonomous vehicles to safely navigate neighborhoods have all previously slowed the pace of drone delivery's expansion.
- Amazon plans to launch the drone delivery service in the South Suburbs of Chicago this summer.
- The company has been piloting drone delivery in select US markets for years.
The players
Amazon
An e-commerce and technology company that operates fulfillment centers and is developing drone delivery technology.
What’s next
Regulators and the public will be closely watching how Amazon's drone delivery service performs in the Chicago suburbs, as it could serve as a model for future expansion of this long-anticipated technology.
The takeaway
While drone delivery promises faster and more convenient service, its rollout has been slowed by regulatory and safety concerns. Amazon's launch in the Chicago suburbs will test whether the technology can overcome these hurdles and become a viable part of the future of local delivery.
