Amazon's Drone Delivery Service in Arizona Grounded Again After Latest Crash
Amazon's drone delivery service in Arizona faced another setback this week. Two Prime Air drones from Amazon.com collided and crashed in Tolleson on Wednesday, leading to a temporary suspension of operations in the Phoenix region. No injuries were reported, and the drones landed in separate parking lots.
This incident marks the second time Amazon has halted drone deliveries in Arizona following crashes involving its MK30 drones. The first such incident occurred in December 2024, when two drones crashed during test flights, with one catching fire in rainy weather.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are currently investigating Wednesday's crash. In a similar incident in September 2024, two test drones from Amazon.com collided due to a rotor failure during an experiment.
Amazon resumed operations in April 2025 after developing a software update for altitude sensors. The company's drones are equipped with a safety mechanism called Safe Contingent Landing (SCL) for emergency situations. Despite these measures, the recent crashes have raised questions about the drones' safety and reliability.
Amazon has received FAA approval to deliver smartphones and other battery-operated devices using its drones, but the recent crashes may prompt further scrutiny of the service. The company has suspended drone deliveries in the Phoenix region while investigations into the crashes continue.
