Amazon is bringing its futuristic drone delivery service to the UK, and the small town of Darlington will be the first to experience it. The company revealed on Monday that it has selected this northern England town as the starting point for its Prime Air expansion in the country.

Originally, Amazon planned to roll out the service in the UK and Italy by 2024, but those plans got delayed. Now, the company is taking things slow, admitting there’s still “much work to do.” Before drones can start buzzing over Darlington, Amazon needs to secure approvals from local authorities and the Civil Aviation Authority, the UK’s version of the FAA.

Once the green light is given, Amazon will start hiring staff and launch the service from a specific fulfillment center in the town. Darlington’s 107,000 residents will also have a say in the project, as Amazon plans to gather their feedback.

This isn’t Amazon’s first foray into drone deliveries. The service debuted in Lockeford, California, in June 2022 and expanded to College Station, Texas, and West Valley Phoenix. However, deliveries in California were halted earlier this year as the company decided to focus its efforts elsewhere.

So far, Prime Air has delivered thousands of packages across the U.S., promising to get items to customers in under an hour. While the company hasn’t set a timeline for Darlington’s launch, residents can eventually opt for drone delivery when ordering select items through Amazon UK.

It’s an exciting step for Darlington and a big move for Amazon as it continues to push the boundaries of tech-driven convenience. Stay tuned for updates as the skies over this quaint town prepare to welcome flying delivery bots!