Amazon Suspends Drone Deliveries After Crashes Into Crane
▼ Summary
– Amazon has suspended drone deliveries in the West Valley Phoenix Metro Area after two of its MK30 drones crashed into a crane in Tolleson, Arizona.
– The incident occurred on Wednesday morning near an Amazon distribution center, with no injuries reported but one person treated for smoke inhalation from the wreckage.
– Witnesses and police reports indicate the drones clipped a crane cable while flying back to back, landing about 100 to 200 feet apart in separate parking lots.
– The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and local authorities are investigating the crash, with Amazon cooperating in the inquiry.
– This is the second pause in drone deliveries in the area since they began less than a year ago, following a previous suspension for software updates and FAA validations after a crash in Oregon.
Amazon has temporarily halted its Prime Air drone delivery service in the West Valley Phoenix Metro Area following two separate incidents where its MK30 drones collided with a crane. The crashes occurred Wednesday morning around 10 a.m. in Tolleson, Arizona, situated roughly two miles from an Amazon distribution center that serves as the drone launch and landing site. Fortunately, no serious injuries resulted from the mishaps, although one individual received medical attention for smoke inhalation caused by the wreckage.
An eyewitness, Gabriel Dahlberg, reported seeing one of the drones strike a crane cable while the crane was hoisting equipment onto a building. Dahlberg, a diesel mechanic, observed the incident from a nearby lot. Sergeant Erik Mendez of the Tolleson Police Department indicated that initial findings suggest the two drones were flying consecutively when they each hit the crane, ultimately landing between 100 and 200 feet apart in different parking areas.
Both local fire and police units responded to the scene. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed it will conduct an investigation into the matter, working collaboratively with Amazon. A company spokesperson, Terrence Clark, stated that Amazon is fully cooperating with authorities to determine the cause of the incident.
The drone delivery program in Tolleson launched just last November, utilizing the MK30 model capable of transporting packages weighing up to five pounds. This marks the second suspension of the service in the region since its inception less than a year ago. A previous pause occurred in January when Amazon implemented software upgrades and sought FAA validation after a drone crashed at an Oregon testing facility. The current suspension has no specified end date, leaving customers uncertain when aerial deliveries will resume.
(Source: The Verge)
