Amazon is set to expand its drone delivery service to around 8,000 eligible customers around Darlington, UK after receiving approval from the nation’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Its Prime Air service has become the first drone operator in the UK to receive a Specific Assurance and Integrity Level (SAIL) 4 Operating Authorisation and Flightworthiness Validation from the regulator.

The clearance means that Prime Air has been through the most thorough safety assessment of any drone system in the country, the company claimed, describing it as a “landmark moment not just for Amazon but for the future of aviation and logistics in the UK”.

A SAIL 4 operation is considered medium- to high-risk and marks the point where the CAA expects significant technical and organisational safety assurance to be demonstrated, Amazon said.

It began offering drone delivery[IH1.1] of packages weighing less than 2.2kg (5lbs) to an estimated 600 customers living within 7.5 miles (12 kilometres) of its Darlington, Country Durham, fulfilment centre in May. Since then, it has operated under CAA authorisation for beyond-visual-line-of-sight flights in less densely populated areas.

The new SAIL 4 authorisation allows it to fly over larger parts of the market town and lays the groundwork for wider UK expansion, Amazon said.

Theunis Scheepers, director of Prime Air Europe, said: “Prime Air is the first in the world to receive a SAIL 4 approval from the UK Civil Aviation Authority. Earning it took years of disciplined engineering and a commitment to safety from day one.

“I want to thank the CAA, who worked alongside us at every step. For customers in Darlington it means getting what they need quickly, safely, and reliably, and it is the foundation for bringing Prime Air to more of the UK.”

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