Amazon plans drone deliveries in Arizona while shutting down drones in California

Alan Boyle
·3 min read
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Amazon says its next-generation MK30 drone will start making deliveries later this year. (Amazon Photo)
Amazon says its next-generation MK30 drone will start making deliveries later this year. (Amazon Photo)

Amazon says it’s gearing up to add a community in Arizona to its list of Prime Air drone delivery zones.

Later this year, customers in the West Valley region of the Phoenix metro area will be able to get their purchases via drones dispatched from Amazon’s Same-Day Delivery site in Tolleson, Ariz., the company said today.

The West Valley region joins College Station in Texas as an Amazon drone delivery site. Last year, Prime Air began free prescription deliveries in 60 minutes or less to customers in College Station, in partnership with Amazon Pharmacy.

For the past two years, Amazon has also been offering drone deliveries in Lockeford, Calif. — but today the company said it would be closing down that delivery site, citing the need to “prioritize our resources to continue growing the program.”

“We’ll offer all current employees opportunities at other sites, and will continue to serve customers in Lockeford with other delivery methods,” Amazon said.

Amazon said the Same-Day Delivery site in Tolleson is one of the company’s hybrid facilities — part fulfillment center, part delivery station. “They allow us to fulfill, sort and deliver products all from one site so we can get packages out to our customers even quicker,” the company said.

The Federal Aviation Administration and local officials in Tolleson still have to provide the final sign-off for Amazon’s drone delivery plan. Once Amazon gets the go-ahead, it’ll spread the word to West Valley residents. (You can sign up to get notified about availability of the service.)

Local officials had good things to say about Amazon’s plan.

“As Amazon embarks on the national expansion of its Amazon Drone Delivery Program, we’re proud to have their innovative presence in our community,” Tolleson Mayor Juan Rodriguez said. “By bringing this service to new communities, they’re not just delivering goods; they’re delivering opportunities and economic growth for all.”

Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said “the shift toward zero-emission package delivery will help us reduce local pollution and further cement our city as a hotbed for the innovative technology of tomorrow.”

Amazon has said new drone delivery zones will be established later this year elsewhere in the U.S., as well as in Italy and Britain.

The Prime Air team also provided an update on its next-generation MK30 drone, which will be quieter than the company’s current drones and should have twice the range. The MK30 incorporates safety features that will allow it to deliver packages to customers with smaller backyards. It can also operate in a wider range of weather conditions, including light rain.

“We’re flying the new MK30 drone and putting it through its paces at our indoor and outdoor test facilities,” Amazon said. “We’ll use the data from this process to demonstrate to regulators around the world the reliability of our system. The MK30 drone will make deliveries to customers later this year.”

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