Amazon has definitively suspended package deliveries via drone, following two accidents in recent days. Specifically, two Amazon Prime Air delivery drones collided with a crane in Arizona, causing “significant” damage and a fire on Wednesday. The accident occurred around 4:00 PM UTC on Wednesday over the city of Tolleson, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Amazon Prime Air drones collided with a crane.
The crash caused no injuries, and the agency confirmed it is investigating the incident
This incident has led the company to finally suspend drone delivery operations. A helicopter video from CNN affiliate KTVK/KPHO shows the wreckage of the drones, weighing more than 36 kilograms (80 pounds), smashed on the ground. The crash caused no injuries, and the agency confirmed it is investigating the incident. The National Transportation Safety Board is also investigating and has announced it will release a preliminary report within 30 days. In any case, according to Amazon, the suspension of drone operations is temporary and was a decision made by the company.
“Safety is our top priority. We have completed our own internal review of this incident and are confident that there was no issue with the drones”
The company is working to unravel what could have happened. Amazon Prime Air drones have been delivering package delivery to customers since 2022, the company says. “Safety is our top priority. We have completed our own internal review of this incident and are confident that there was no issue with the drones or the technology that supports them,” said Terrence Clark, an Amazon spokesperson. “However, we have implemented additional processes, such as enhanced visual inspections of the landscape, to better monitor moving obstacles, such as cranes.”
Residents in the area have been able to receive purchases weighing less than five pounds in less than an hour
Amazon launched its drone delivery service in Tolleson less than a year ago, and this is the first time there’s been an accident involving two drones. Specifically, in April, Amazon opened the drone delivery center in Tolleson. Residents in the area have been able to receive purchases weighing less than five pounds in less than an hour. Jeff Bezos’ company intended for drones to be able to deliver an order within an hour of someone pressing the buy button, and has been testing this system in Texas and Arizona, as well as in Europe. The drones involved in the accident were Amazon’s MK30 models, which were authorized for takeoff in 2023.
It’s not just that Amazon offers this service, but that people accept and demand it
MK30 drones are FAA-approved to fly beyond the operator’s line of sight and use a “sophisticated onboard detect and avoid system” to prevent crashes, the company says on its website. The drones use onboard vision systems to locate that point and, according to Amazon, also rely on “advanced machine learning algorithms trained to accurately identify objects such as people, animals, obstacles, and other aircraft.” The drone uses six propellers and can carry up to five pounds of payload, with an operating radius of approximately 7.5 miles, according to available data.
The question here is how far the perseverance in delivering online orders so quickly will go. Companies like Amazon have already succeeded in getting consumers to prefer three clicks and buying an item rather than going out to buy it in a local store. Now, drones can make deliveries within an hour, albeit with a very limited range. It’s not just that Amazon offers this service, but that people accept and demand it. According to Amazon, the most popular product for air delivery is AA batteries. Amazon will try to solve this security problem, and we’ll see how the matter turns out.
