You can hit most of a medium-sized metro area from a 10-mile radius. NYC and cities like it are exceptional; most metros have an abundance of single-family home

You can hit most of a medium-sized metro area from a 10-mile radius. NYC and cities like it are exceptional; most metros have an abundance of single-family homes with porches and backyards, even just a mile or so from the central business district. Amazon would not need a full-fledged distribution center as a drone base. Orders received by, say, 10am could be put on a truck from a distribution center that's an hour or two's drive from the center of the metro area. The truck goes to the drone base in the middle of town and unloads. You can still deliver before 5pm.