Though Prime Air drones experienced multiple crashes during testing in recent months, the company points to a software upgrade as the main reason for the pause.
Amazon Prime Air’s MK30 delivery drone suffered crashes in September and December, but the company says the incidents are not the ‘primary reason’ for the pause. [Courtesy: Amazon Prime Air]
Key Takeaways:
Amazon Prime Air has temporarily halted drone delivery operations in Texas and Arizona to perform a software upgrade.
This suspension follows recent drone crashes at its Oregon test facility in September and December, with Bloomberg reporting that software issues, particularly those triggered by light rain, were the cause of some incidents.
While Amazon states the halt is for a voluntary software upgrade and emphasizes the safety of its MK30 drones, the crashes are under investigation by the NTSB and FAA.
Amazon Prime Air, the drone delivery arm of the e-commerce giant, is temporarily halting operations in Texas and Arizona to upgrade its drones’ software.
The move follows crashes at Prime Air’s test facility in Pendleton, Oregon, in September and December, first reported by Bloomberg.
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Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.
