Amazon has temporarily halted its Prime Air drone delivery services in Texas and Arizona to implement software updates across its drone fleet. This decision follows incidents at its Pendleton, Oregon testing facility, where two MK30 drones crashed during flights in December 2024. One of the drones caught fire on the ground, and a software issue related to light rain was identified as the cause.
Despite these incidents, Amazon emphasized that the pause is primarily for software improvements and not directly due to the Oregon crashes. The company stated that its commercial operations had been conducted safely and in compliance with all Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations until the voluntary pause on January 17, 2025.
Amazon plans to resume drone deliveries once the software updates are completed and receive FAA approval. The MK30 drones, introduced in November 2024, are designed to enhance safety and reliability in various weather conditions.
