In Fall 2026, the Museum’s new uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) took flight. The Amazon Prime Air MK30 delivery drone is the latest addition to the permanent UAV exhibit. The MK30 was launched with the goal of delivering packages weighing five pounds or less to Amazon customers in under 30 minutes. The MK30 also showcases cutting-edge advancements in UAV technology. Its features include real-time obstacle detection, safety-first collision avoidance, and zero-emissions during flight. Plus, it can operate in a variety of weather conditions, including extreme cold and heat. Below, we take you through the painstaking process of installing the drone into the Great Gallery, step by step.
Museum Collections and Exhibits staff and rigging professionals from On Sight Access collaborate to assemble a complex rigging system to raise the drone into the Great Gallery.
After carefully attaching the drone to the rig, it’s time to start raising the drone.
Excited Museum staff watch with fascination and bated breath.
Now it’s time for the rigger to descend from the hang point!
The rigger secures the last wire to the drone, locking the MK 30 into its final location among the other UAVs on display
All done! The Amazon Prime Air MK30 hangs in the Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles exhibit in the Great Gallery.
Check out the MK30 next time you're in the Great Gallery!