Amazon will reportedly begin using India as its spot for testing its delivery drones.
Two sources told The Economic Times of India that the e-commerce company will hold its first trials for its new delivery service in Mumbai and Bangalore since it has warehouses in these cities.
Amazon responded to the report by saying it does "not comment on what we may or may not do in the future."
The prohibition of commercial drone use in the U.S. has presented challenges for Amazon in its initial tests for the delivery service, Business Insider reported. Rules for the aircraft are dictated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which currently only allows hobbyists to fly them outdoors. All commercial drones, on the other hand, can only be used indoors, whether for experiements or otherwise.
Amazon has chosen India as its testing ground to avoid domestic restrictions, and because the country has yet to outlaw the use of drones.
The company's Prime Air drone was introduced last December in the form of an octocopter, The Economic Times of India reported. Amazon recently said it is working on aircraft that weigh less than 25 kilograms (kg) and can fly at over 80 miles per hour. The drone is being designed to be able to carry a payload weighing up to 2.26 kg.
Pritam Ashutosh Sahu from Bangalore-based drone manufacturer Edall Systems said that there are still challenges for Amazon in testing their drones in India since many companies in the country have concerns regarding the aircraft's safety. Sahu added that different tests have to be run to make sure the machine is safe to use, such as flying it within cities and making sure communication with the drone isn't lost.
"It can crash into a building, or might attract untoward attention," Sahu said.
