Amazon has added France to the list of countries where the Seattle-based retailer is working on its drone delivery system, with the opening of a research and development center that will create traffic management software for drones. The opening of the Prime Air Development Center in Clichy, part of Paris’ northwest suburbs, was the subject of an announcement issued today by Amazon Europe. Paul Misener, Amazon’s vice president for global innovation policy and communications, says the center’s dozen engineers “will be instrumental in developing the world’s safest and most sophisticated traffic management software for autonomous drones.” Amazon says its platform will complement the existing air traffic control system, enabling drone operations beyond line of sight. Other Prime Air development centers are in the U.S., Britain, Austria and Israel. Amazon drones already have made experimental deliveries in Britain and the U.S., and Prime Air is expected to hit prime time by 2020.
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