Details about how Amazon's Prime Air delivery drones will actually work have been revealed by the US Patent Office, according to Digital Spy.

A patent submitted by the online retailer suggests that the unmanned aircraft will track the customer's location via their smartphone.

The drones will also be able to relay information about weather and traffic to each other and update their flight paths accordingly.

The document also sheds light on the technology inside the drones, confirming that they will be equipped with light sensors, radar, sonar, cameras and infrared sensors to help them land safely.

Amazon's fleet will apparently include crafts of varying shapes and sizes for delivering different kinds of packages.

The internet retailer has invested heavily in drone research, but has faced opposition from regulatory bodies in the US at every turn.

The Federal Aviation Administration recently granted the firm permission to test its latest drones over American airspace, but has imposed restrictions on the trials.