Amazon has started a same-day drone delivery service in Arizona, US, that will give customers access to “over 50,000 everyday essentials”.

The firm said the available products include household and beauty items as well as office and tech supplies, and customers who live near the warehouse can purchase an eligible item weighing 2.2kg or less for drone delivery in under an hour.

“Safety is our top priority,” Amazon said in an attempt to address concerns consumers might have with the service. “Our new drone, the MK30, has received FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] approval to begin operations to customers.

“Our approval includes the ability to fly beyond visual line of sight, using our sophisticated on-board detect-and-avoid system. This is an historic, first-of-its-kind approval for a new drone system and a new operating location following a rigorous FAA evaluation of the safety of our systems and processes.”

The MK30 drones, which were developed in-house over a two-year period, will...