An Amazon delivery drone is on display at Amazon’s BOS27 Robotics Innovation Hub in Westborough, Massachusetts, November 10, 2022.
Joseph Prezioso | AFP | Getty Images
Amazon is ending its drone delivery operations in Lockeford, California, one of the first U.S. test sites for the decade-long project.
The program, called Prime Air, has struggled to get off the ground since Amazon founder Jeff Bezos first detailed in 2013 his vision of autonomous drones delivering packages weighing less than 5 pounds in 30 minutes or less .
Amazon said in a blog post Monday that it intends to continue expanding drone deliveries to more U.S. cities in 2025 and plans to open part of the Phoenix area later this year . The company said it was working with the Federal Aviation Administration and local authorities to obtain permission for drone deliveries in Tolleson, west of Phoenix.
“As we look to the future and prioritize our resources to continue to grow the program, we have also made the decision to close our delivery site in Lockeford,” the company wrote. Amazon said it will offer its employees opportunities at other locations and that Lockeford residents will still be able to place orders using other delivery methods.
Amazon says it is currently conducting test flights to demonstrate the reliability of its new delivery drone, the MK30, which the company unveiled at an event last year. The drone is intended to be smaller and quieter than previous models, and can fly in light rain.
Amazon received Part 135 certification from the Federal Aviation Administration in 2020, allowing it to use drones to deliver packages with certain restrictions. But Prime Air’s progress has been delayed.
In 2022, Amazon said it would begin testing deliveries in College Station, Texas, about 100 miles northwest of Houston, and in Lockeford, a city south of Sacramento where the program’s arrival initially sparked some skepticism from residents.
While it seemed ready to go, Prime Air was hit by layoffs last year as part of broader job cuts at Amazon. The group has also faced regulatory setbacks and executive departures.
Amazon has continued to expand its drone deliveries. Last October, the company cleared a significant regulatory hurdle when the FAA eased some restrictions on where its drones can operate, allowing it to fly over roads and cars when necessary to complete a route.
Last week, Amazon signed a deal with Embention, a developer of autopilot systems and drone components. As part of the deal, Embention will provide security-related hardware and software to Amazon.
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