Amazon has released a letter it sent to the Federal Aviation Administration last week, requesting permission to test its Amazon Prime Air drone delivery service outdoors in the Seattle area.  This would require an exemption to current regulations, which was authorized by 2012 legislation, according to the letter. 

In the letter, Amazon revealed a number of details about its drones, including the fact that they will fly at over 50 miles per hour, and that Amazon is on the 9th generation of its aerial vehicles. 

Amazon is requesting permission to fly test flights within the boundaries of a test area which will be limited by geo-fencing, which will use GPS or radio triangulation to define the geographic boundaries in which the vehicles will fly. It argues that the exemption would "allow Amazon to do what thousands of hobbyists and manufacturers of model aircraft due every day," with "much stronger safety measures."  

The company notes that it has been flying test flights in other countries, but that it "would prefer to keep the focus, jobs, and investment of this important research and development initiative in the United States."  

Amazon revealed the existence of its Prime Air research program late last year (see “Amazon Testing Delivery by Drone” for more info and a video of the service).  The plan is to deliver packages up to around five pounds, which include 86% of the items Amazon ships, in 30 minutes or less.