Amazon Prime Air Approved for Trials

Promised some time ago.  Now FAA approved.   In specifically what parts of the supply chain is this expected to be useful?   Some years away?

Amazon's Prime Air can officially begin drone delivery trials in the US
The FAA granted Amazon 'air carrier' status.

Christine Fisher, @cfisherwrites in Engadget

As of today, Amazon is officially an “air carrier.” The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted Amazon Prime Air the designation, which allows Amazon to begin its first commercial delivery trials in the US, Bloomberg reports. The company will use the hexagon-shaped next-gen hybrid drone it showed off last year.

Amazon has not revealed when or where it will begin its commercial delivery trials, but as Bloomberg points out, it does have test sites in the Northwest and in the nearby Vancouver area. Amazon has also tested drones in the UK. Still, we’re probably a few years away from a commercial drone delivery service. In part because the FAA still needs to define regulations beyond the trial phase.  ... '