Amazon has announced plans to use drones to deliver parcels in the UK within an hour. The service will begin in one location at the end of 2024. Currently, Amazon offers drone deliveries in two US states for items weighing up to 5lbs. The company is working closely with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to meet regulations, and the government believes this move will help understand how to safely and securely use this new technology. David Carbon, vice president of Amazon Prime Air, stated that the technology is safe and in high demand. Customers will be able to choose from thousands of items weighing 5lbs or less for drone delivery.

The first area in the UK for drone deliveries will be announced in the coming months. Amazon already has drone deliveries in California and Texas and plans to launch “ultra-fast” deliveries in a third US state and Italy. The company will start in a lightly populated suburban area and scale slowly based on regulatory approvals. The government’s aviation minister, Baroness Vere, believes that Amazon’s plans will boost the economy and offer consumers more choice while keeping the environment clean with zero-emission technology. The government aims for commercial drones to be commonplace by 2030.

In order to receive a drone delivery, customers need to be approved and have enough clear space for the drone to drop the parcel 12 feet to the ground. In the UK, Amazon plans to use markerless delivery and enable drones to pinpoint drop points using GPS. The drones have sensors to avoid obstacles and can fly up to 12km. Amazon aims to achieve 500 million global drone deliveries per year by the end of the decade. Frederic Laugere, head of innovation advisory services at the CAA, believes projects like this are vital for the safe and equitable use of the air by other users.

Original news source: Amazon pledges parcels in an hour using drone deliveries (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Give each group a few minutes to read and discuss the article. Then, ask each group to write a one-paragraph summary of the key points of the article. Afterward, have each group share their summaries with the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Ask the class to individually think about their opinions on drone deliveries. Then, divide the class into pairs or small groups and have them discuss their opinions. Afterward, conduct a class poll by asking each student to share their opinion and provide a brief explanation for their stance.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Select a list of vocabulary words from the article. Write each word on a small piece of paper and put them in a hat or container. Divide the class into teams and have one person from each team come up to the front. Give each student a vocabulary word from the hat and ask them to draw a quick sketch of the word on the board. The other team members must guess the word based on the drawing. The team that guesses the most words correctly wins.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: Instruct the class to work individually or in pairs to create catchy headlines for the article. Encourage them to be creative and use language techniques, such as alliteration or puns. Afterward, have each student or pair share their headline with the class and explain their reasoning behind it.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Ask students to imagine what the future of drone deliveries might look like. In pairs or small groups, have them discuss and write down their predictions. Then, ask each group to share their predictions with the class and have a class discussion on the feasibility and potential impact of these predictions.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What is Amazon’s plan for using drones in the UK?
2. How many US states currently offer drone deliveries from Amazon?
3. Who is Amazon working with to meet regulations for drone deliveries in the UK?
4. What does David Carbon, vice president of Amazon Prime Air, say about the safety and demand for drone technology?
5. Where will Amazon begin its drone deliveries in the UK?
6. What are the government’s goals for commercial drones in the UK by 2030?
7. What requirements do customers need to meet in order to receive a drone delivery?
8. What is Amazon’s goal for global drone deliveries by the end of the decade?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Amazon has announced plans to use (1)______ to (3)______ parcels in the UK within an hour. The service will begin in one location at the end of 2024. Currently, Amazon offers (2)______ deliveries in two US states for items weighing up to 5lbs. The company is (4)______ closely with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to meet regulations, and the government believes this move will help understand how to safely and securely use this new technology. David Carbon, vice president of (5)______ Prime Air, stated that the technology is safe and in high demand. Customers will be able to choose from thousands of items weighing 5lbs or less for drone delivery.

The (6)______ area in the UK for drone deliveries will be announced in the coming months. Amazon already has drone deliveries in (7)______ and Texas and plans to launch “ultra-fast” deliveries in a third US state and Italy. The (8)______ will start in a lightly populated suburban area and scale slowly based on regulatory (9)______. The government’s aviation minister, (10)______ Vere, believes that Amazon’s plans will boost the economy and offer consumers more choice while keeping the environment clean with zero-emission technology. The government aims for (11)______ drones to be commonplace by 2030.

In order to (12)______ a drone delivery, customers need to be approved and have enough clear space for the drone to drop the parcel 12 feet to the ground. In the UK, Amazon (13)______ to use markerless delivery and (14)______ drones to pinpoint drop points using GPS. The drones have sensors to avoid obstacles and can fly up to 12km. Amazon aims to achieve 500 million global drone (15)______ per year by the end of the decade. (16)______ Laugere, head of innovation advisory services at the CAA, believes projects like this are vital for the safe and equitable use of the air by other users.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What are your thoughts on Amazon using drones to deliver parcels?
2. How would you feel if you received a delivery from a drone?
3. Do you think drone deliveries will become popular in your country? Why or why not?
4. What is the benefit of using drones for delivery instead of traditional methods?
5. How do you think drone deliveries will impact the job market for delivery drivers?
6. Do you think using drones for delivery is a safe and secure method? Why or why not?
7. What potential challenges do you foresee with implementing drone deliveries on a large scale?
8. How do you think drone deliveries will affect the environment?
9. Have you ever used a drone before? If so, what was your experience like?
10. What are some other innovative technologies that could be used for delivery purposes?
11. How do you think the introduction of drone deliveries will change the way people shop?
12. Do you think drone deliveries will be more convenient for customers? Why or why not?
13. Would you be willing to pay extra for a drone delivery service? Why or why not?
14. How do you think drone deliveries will impact traditional brick-and-mortar stores?
15. What regulations do you think should be in place to ensure the safe use of drones for delivery?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. drones
2. deliveries
3. UK
4. regulations
5. technology
6. customers
7. government
8. Amazon

Meanings:
(a) The act of bringing goods or items to a specific location
(b) The application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes
(c) Rules or laws set by an authority to control or manage something
(d) The country consisting of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland
(e) Unmanned aerial vehicles used for various purposes
(f) A multinational technology company specializing in e-commerce and cloud computing
(g) The governing body of a nation or state
(h) People who purchase goods or services from a business
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. When does Amazon plan to start using drones for parcel delivery in the UK?
(a) In the coming months
(b) By 2030
(c) It is not mentioned in the article
(d) At the end of 2024

2. How many US states currently offer drone deliveries by Amazon?
(a) Three
(b) Two
(c) Four
(d) Five

3. What is the weight limit for items eligible for drone delivery?
(a) 5lbs or less
(b) 10lbs or less
(c) 15lbs or less
(d) 20lbs or less

4. How does Amazon plan to ensure safe delivery with drones in the UK?
(a) Using sensors to avoid obstacles
(b) Using markerless delivery and GPS
(c) Requiring customers to have enough clear space for the drop
(d) All of the above

5. What is the government’s goal for commercial drones by 2030?
(a) To be regulated
(b) To be banned
(c) To be limited to certain areas
(d) To be commonplace

6. How far can the drones fly?
(a) Up to 12km
(b) Up to 10km
(c) Up to 15km
(d) Up to 20km

7. What is the government’s view on Amazon’s drone delivery plans?
(a) It will harm the environment with emissions
(b) It is unnecessary and unsafe
(c) It will boost the economy and offer consumers more choice
(d) It will only benefit Amazon, not consumers

8. According to Frederic Laugere, what is the importance of projects like Amazon’s drone delivery?
(a) They are unnecessary and should be stopped
(b) They are a waste of resources
(c) They are vital for the safe and equitable use of the air by other users
(d) They are only beneficial for Amazon, not the public

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. The UK government believes that this move by Amazon will help understand how to safely and securely use drone technology.
2. Currently, Amazon does not offer drone deliveries in any US state for items weighing up to 5lbs.
3. The service will not start in one location in the UK by the end of 2024.
4. Amazon plans to launch “ultra-fast” deliveries in a third US state and Italy.
5. Amazon is not working closely with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to meet regulations for drone deliveries.
6. Amazon plans to use drones for parcel delivery in the UK within an hour.
7. The UK government aims for commercial drones to be commonplace by 2030.
8. Customers will not be able to choose from thousands of items weighing 5lbs or less for drone delivery.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What is the current status of Amazon’s drone delivery service in the US?
2. How is Amazon working with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to ensure the safe use of drone technology?
3. What factors will determine the location for Amazon’s first drone delivery service in the UK?
4. What requirements must customers meet in order to receive a drone delivery from Amazon?
5. What are Amazon’s goals for the future of their drone delivery service?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Amazon plans to use drones to deliver parcels in the UK within an hour.
2. Amazon currently offers drone deliveries in two US states.
3. Amazon is working closely with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to meet regulations for drone deliveries in the UK.
4. David Carbon, vice president of Amazon Prime Air, states that the technology is safe and in high demand.
5. The first area in the UK for drone deliveries will be announced in the coming months.
6. The government aims for commercial drones to be commonplace in the UK by 2030.
7. In order to receive a drone delivery, customers need to be approved and have enough clear space for the drone to drop the parcel 12 feet to the ground.
8. Amazon aims to achieve 500 million global drone deliveries per year by the end of the decade.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) drones
(2) drone
(3) deliver
(4) working
(5) Amazon
(6) first
(7) California
(8) company
(9) approvals
(10) Baroness
(11) commercial
(12) receive
(13) plans
(14) enable
(15) deliveries
(16) Frederic
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. drones
Answer: (e) Unmanned aerial vehicles used for various purposes

2. deliveries
Answer: (a) The act of bringing goods or items to a specific location

3. UK
Answer: (d) The country consisting of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland

4. regulations
Answer: (c) Rules or laws set by an authority to control or manage something

5. technology
Answer: (b) The application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes

6. customers
Answer: (h) People who purchase goods or services from a business

7. government
Answer: (g) The governing body of a nation or state

8. Amazon
Answer: (f) A multinational technology company specializing in e-commerce and cloud computing
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. When does Amazon plan to start using drones for parcel delivery in the UK?
Answer: (d) At the end of 2024

2. How many US states currently offer drone deliveries by Amazon?
Answer: (b) Two

3. What is the weight limit for items eligible for drone delivery?
Answer: (a) 5lbs or less

4. How does Amazon plan to ensure safe delivery with drones in the UK?
Answer: (b) Using markerless delivery and GPS

5. What is the government’s goal for commercial drones by 2030?
Answer: (d) To be commonplace

6. How far can the drones fly?
Answer: (a) Up to 12km

7. What is the government’s view on Amazon’s drone delivery plans?
Answer: (c) It will boost the economy and offer consumers more choice

8. According to Frederic Laugere, what is the importance of projects like Amazon’s drone delivery?
Answer: (c) They are vital for the safe and equitable use of the air by other users
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. The UK government believes that this move by Amazon will help understand how to safely and securely use drone technology. (Answer: True)
2. Currently, Amazon does not offer drone deliveries in any US state for items weighing up to 5lbs. (Answer: False)
3. The service will not start in one location in the UK by the end of 2024. (Answer: False)
4. Amazon plans to launch “ultra-fast” deliveries in a third US state and Italy. (Answer: True)
5. Amazon is not working closely with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to meet regulations for drone deliveries. (Answer: False)
6. Amazon plans to use drones for parcel delivery in the UK within an hour. (Answer: True)
7. The UK government aims for commercial drones to be commonplace by 2030. (Answer: True)
8. Customers will not be able to choose from thousands of items weighing 5lbs or less for drone delivery. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧