Drone Crash Halts Amazon Prime Air Operations in Arizona
Two U.S. agencies are investigating a collision between Amazon Prime Air drones and a crane in Tolleson, Arizona. Amazon has paused drone operations in the area. The incident highlights challenges in advancing commercial drone use, a key goal for Amazon's delivery services.
On Thursday, two U.S. agencies announced that they would investigate a collision involving Amazon Prime Air delivery drones and a crane's boom in Tolleson, Arizona. Both the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are looking into the incident, which took place on Wednesday.
Amazon temporarily halted its Prime Air drone operations in Arizona after launching the service in November 2024. The drones, operating from the company's same-day site in Tolleson, had the capability of delivering packages weighing up to five pounds in under an hour. Terry Clark, an Amazon spokesman, confirmed the company's awareness of the incident and stated that they are collaborating with authorities on the investigation.
This mishap underscores broader efforts in the commercial drone sector. In August, the U.S. Transportation Department proposed changes to allow drone operations beyond visual line of sight, a step seen as pivotal for services like package delivery. Amazon eyes drone deliveries of 500 million packages annually by 2030, a vision echoed by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy who anticipates drones revolutionizing delivery services.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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