Amazon has temporarily suspended its commercial drone delivery operations in Texas and Arizona after two of its latest MK30 models crashed in rainy weather at a test facility.
The company announced Friday that it was pausing the program to implement software updates to ensure the safety of its fleet.
The crashes, which occurred in December at Amazon’s test site in Pendleton, Ore., were attributed to a software malfunction caused by light rain.
One of the drones caught fire after the crash.
Although an Amazon spokesperson told Bloomberg News that the crashes were not the “primary reason” for the pause, the company declined to specify other issues that were addressed in the software update.
Amazon’s MK30 drones had been delivering packages in College Station, Texas, and Tolleson, Ariz., after the company won approval from the Federal Aviation Administration in October.
Last summer, the president of College Station sent a worded letter to the FAA protesting Amazon’s drones and their noise levels, which some locals compared to a “giant beehive.”
The six-propeller model is designed to be lighter, quieter and capable of flying in light rain – a feature that is now being looked into.
“We are currently in the process of making software changes to the drone and will voluntarily cease our commercial operations,” Amazon spokesman Sam Stephenson told Bloomberg News.
“Delivery will resume once updates are completed and approved by the FAA.”
Employees at the affected drone sites will continue to be paid during the suspension.
The decision marks another setback for Amazon’s Prime Air, which has struggled for more than a decade to expand its drone delivery service.
Despite regulatory milestones, including FAA permission to fly beyond an operator’s visual line of sight, the program remains in limited trials.
Amazon completed its first test flight in Italy last month and is seeking approvals for operations in the UK.
In addition to the December crashes, a previously unreported incident in September saw two Amazon drones collide due to operator error.
According to an FAA report, the company was testing the MK30’s response to engine failure when a second drone was mistakenly launched on a collision course.
The drones crashed in the air and landed on the ground. Amazon has since revised its operating procedures and training protocols.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are investigating both the September and December crashes.
Amazon claims that such tests are essential for improving the safety of drones.
“The purpose of these tests is to push our aircraft beyond their limits – it would be irresponsible not to,” Stephenson said.
Amazon’s drone program has encountered numerous safety concerns in recent years.
A Bloomberg investigation previously documented five accidents in 2021, including one that caused a brush fire.
The FAA recorded at least four additional crashes in 2022, three due to sudden power loss.
In November 2023, Amazon temporarily halted operations after an MK27-2 drone crashed when its battery failed mid-flight.
As Amazon works to improve its technology, it remains uncertain whether the company will be able to overcome its obstacles and make drone delivery a permanent mainstay.
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