Amazon hits pause on drone delivery after crash reports

Editors note: This article has been updated with statements from an Amazon spokesperson.

Amazon’s drone delivery dreams have once again hit turbulence with the company temporarily halting its 60-minute drone delivery service in Texas and Arizona following a series of crashes involving its new MK30 drones. The decision comes after two drones crashed during tests at Amazon’s Pendleton, Oregon, site in December — one of which caught fire on impact.

The MK30, marketed as a lighter, quieter drone capable of flying in mild weather conditions, now faces scrutiny over its capabilities. Despite assurances that these mishaps were not the “primary reason” for the suspension, the company has decided to tweak the drone’s software before resuming operations.

“Safety underscores everything we do in Prime Air and our MK30 drone is safe and compliant. It’s designed to safely respond to unknown events in a known way, and the overall architecture of the drone has performed as expected. We’re currently in the process of making software changes to the drone and will be voluntarily pausing our commercial operations on Friday, Jan. 17. Our services will resume once these updates are completed and approved by the FAA,” Sam Stephenson, an Amazon spokesperson, tells DroneDJ.

But the problem is, these December incidents aren’t isolated. A few months earlier, in September 2024, two MK30 drones collided mid-air during a test, spiraling to the ground. The cause? Operator error during a motor failure simulation. Amazon has since revamped its testing protocols, but this isn’t the first time its drone program has raised safety concerns.

Over the years, the company’s drone delivery program, Prime Air, has faced several setbacks, including five crashes in 2021 (including one that caused acres-wide fire), at least four in 2022, and a fiery battery failure in November 2023 that prompted a temporary halt in operations.

Amazon emphasizes that pushing drones to their limits is essential for improving safety. Even for the incidents at Pendleton, Stephenson tells DroneDJ, “These incidents occurred at our private and closed testing facility, where the purpose of these tests is to push our aircraft past their limits – it would be irresponsible not to do that. We expect incidents like these to occur in those tests, and they help us continue to improve the safety of our operations. Our commercial operations with the MK30 drone have been conducted safely and in compliance with all FAA regulations and requirements.”

While Amazon has logged key milestones, such as securing FAA approval to fly beyond an operator’s visual line of sight and launching prescription deliveries in Arizona and Texas, progress has been anything but smooth. The MK30 crashes are just the latest challenge in a decade-long struggle to make drone delivery a widespread reality.

Despite these setbacks, Amazon’s drone ambitions remain global. In recent months, the company conducted its first test flight in Italy and is eyeing approvals to operate in the UK. Yet, the current suspension raises questions about whether drone delivery can become a permanent mainstay for Amazon.

While Amazon’s drones are grounded, competitors like Alphabet’s Wing and Zipline — partnering with Walmart — are vying for dominance in the drone delivery space. These firms might gain a head start as Amazon works out its technological kinks.

For now, Amazon is keeping its employees at the affected sites on the payroll, signaling a commitment to refining its drone delivery program. But with numerous safety concerns and operational pauses piling up, one question looms large: can Amazon weather the storm and take flight again?

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