Automotive Fleet
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Is Amazon Planning a Flying Warehouse?

An Amazon patent filing surfaced on Dec. 28 describing an airborne fulfillment center for the company’s drone delivery system, according to a report by CNBC.

by Staff
December 30, 2016
Is Amazon Planning a Flying Warehouse?

Photo: Amazon

2 min to read


Photo: Amazon

An amazon patent filing surfaced on Dec. 28 describing an airborne fulfillment center for the company’s drone delivery system, according to a report by CNBC.

An illustration depicts an airship floating above the city at 45,000 feet from which the drones would fly down to deliver packages. The patent also mentioned possible uses including delivering food and other items to fans at a stadium.

Ad Loading...

Whether or not the plan is feasible may be up for debate. The logistics of placing a large blimp thousands of feet above a populated area for long periods of time would require regulatory approval, not to mention the fact that Amazon’s drone delivery system is still in its infancy.

Other details of the patent filing include rudimentary plans for midair refueling and restocking from aircraft that could dock with the airship.

The patent was actually approved way back in April 2016 but was not publicized by Amazon at the time. An analyst from CB Insights, which covers the venture capital and angel investment world, posted an image from the filing onto her Twitter account on Dec. 28.

I just unearthed the Death Star of #ecommerce via @cbinsights... AMZN patent for airborne warehouses at 45K ft spitting out delivery drones pic.twitter.com/qEz2ilUtJP

— Zoe Leavitt (@zoe_leavitt) December 28, 2016

The plan itself may never actually come to fruition; many technology companies file for patents as a way of protecting potential ideas. Sometimes the ideas are never followed through on, or they are just a piece of a larger plan that changes over time.

Ad Loading...

Amazon’s drones have already been tested while being launched from a traditional, ground-based delivery truck. In the U.K. earlier this month, Amazon officially delivered its first package by drone and the company said that it expected to expand trials in the near future.

More Operations

A Fleet Meets blue, red, and teal graphic with Eric Kilgore's headshot, title, and company.
Operationsby Faith HowellAugust 21, 2026

Fleet Meets: Eric Kilgore

This edition of the Fleet Meets series features one of the industry's best leaders driving multi-market and national operations.

Read More →
fleetio coast pay cost
SponsoredAugust 13, 2026

Why Reactive Fleet Management Is Becoming Too Expensive to Sustain

Research highlights a growing need for proactive management strategies to address rising costs in fleet operations effectively.

Read More →
"Element Mobility report cover with a utility fleet truck and the title 'What your fleet KPIs aren't telling you.'"
SponsoredAugust 12, 2026

What Your Fleet KPIs Aren’t Telling You

Tracking fleet metrics is only useful when the data leads to better decisions. This guide helps fleet leaders assess cost, utilization, and downtime more accurately, identify performance gaps, and prioritize the actions that can improve operational results.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Cover of the AgileFleet white paper "Hidden in Plain Sight: Fleet Compliance Risks" with the AgileFleet logo and a photo of fleet vehicles parked outside a government building.
SponsoredAugust 7, 2026

Hidden in Plain Sight: Fleet Compliance Risks

Fleet compliance isn't just about having policies — it's about consistently enforcing them. This practical guide reveals six hidden compliance risks common in public sector and shared fleet operations and outlines proven strategies to improve visibility, accountability, and audit readiness

Read More →
Turning Fleet Payment data into executive insights blue podcast thumbnail
OperationsAugust 5, 2026

Turning Fleet Payment Data into Executive Insights

Does data alone drive results in operations?

Read More →
Graphic promoting Automotive Fleet's 2026 Personal Use Survey with the text "Have a Personal Use Policy? We Want to Know!" encouraging fleet managers to complete the annual industry survey.
Operationsby StaffAugust 5, 2026

Automotive Fleet Opens 2026 Personal Use Survey for Commercial Fleet Managers

Commercial and corporate fleet managers are invited to share how their organizations handle company vehicle personal-use policies, charges, and driver eligibility.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Gary Van Orden Retirement
Operationsby Jeanny AbrahamJuly 31, 2026

Gary Van Orden Retires After Nearly Four Decades in Commercial Fleet

From answering customer calls at Ford Motor Company to leading fleet sales across multiple OEMs and a fleet management company, Gary Van Orden's career reflects nearly four decades of leadership in commercial fleet.

Read More →
an Automotive Fleet podcast thumbnail
OperationsJuly 31, 2026

How Stellantis Plans to Get Ahead of Fleet Downtime

Vehicle acquisition may grab the headlines, but fleet uptime increasingly determines operating success. Darren Bradshaw of ‪Mopar‬ North America gives the details.

Read More →
A lineup of Hyundai vehicles with overlay text announcing the 2027 Commercial Fleet Program, highlighting new fleet incentives for eligible commercial and government buyers.
Operationsby News/Media ReleaseJuly 31, 2026

Hyundai Releases 2027 Commercial Program Incentives 

The 2027 Model Year "Fleet Street Incentives" are available to commercial and government fleets.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Chris Brown of Automotive Fleet and Lauren Fletcher of Work Truck pose beside a Soap Box Derby car in a Team Brown vs. Team Fletcher race graphic benefiting The Hourglass Foundation.
Operationsby News/Media ReleaseJuly 30, 2026

It's All Downhill from Here! Fleet Industry Raises $22,000 for Skilled Trades Scholarships

Work Truck’s Lauren Fletcher and Automotive Fleet’s Chris Brown turned a friendly racing rivalry into $22,000 for automotive technology and skilled trades scholarships.

Read More →