Amazon has announced a temporary suspension of its drone delivery service in Texas and Arizona after two of its MK30 drones crashed during testing at the Pendleton, Oregon, airport in December. The company has paused all commercial drone deliveries for the foreseeable future, with one of the drones even catching fire after the crash.
The MK30, which is Amazon’s next-generation drone, is a lighter and more advanced model compared to the previous MK27. Despite its promising design, the incidents have raised questions about the reliability of the service.
Software glitch to blame for the crashes
According to Amazon, the crashes were caused by a software issue triggered by light rain during the tests. Although the company confirmed that this was a factor, it insisted that the crashes weren’t the main reason for pausing the drone deliveries. In fact, the company stressed that the operational pause is a voluntary measure.
A spokesperson for Amazon, Sam Stephenson, explained that the company is in the process of updating the drone’s software to address the issue and improve safety. Once the updates are made, Amazon will need to get approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) before it can restart operations.
More testing challenges than expected
This latest setback is just one in a series of challenges Amazon has faced during the testing of its drone delivery service. Earlier this year, two MK30 drones collided during another test, highlighting the hurdles that come with rolling out new technology. However, Amazon is not discouraged by these incidents.
Stephenson explained that the company anticipated such issues during testing, as they are part of the process to make the drones safer and more reliable for future use. These incidents, he said, provide valuable lessons that will help Amazon fine-tune the system and improve overall safety standards.
Amazon’s drone delivery expansion
Amazon first began offering non-medical deliveries via drones in Texas in 2022, and by the following year, it had expanded the service to include prescription medications. In 2024, the company introduced the service in Phoenix, Arizona, but also put a halt to deliveries in California. While these ongoing technical challenges are certainly frustrating, Amazon remains committed to perfecting its drone delivery system. The suspension of operations in Texas and Arizona does not signify the end of the service, but rather serves as a temporary pause to ensure the technology remains up to date.
Despite the setbacks, Amazon continues to work on its drone delivery plans, and employees at the affected sites in Texas and Arizona will remain on the payroll during the pause. The company’s determination to address safety concerns and improve the technology shows that it’s dedicated to making drone deliveries a reliable part of its service in the future. While the FAA’s approval is still needed for resumption, Amazon’s commitment to resolving these issues suggests that it won’t be long before drone deliveries are back in action.
