Prime Air grounded: Amazon suspending drone deliveries in Lockeford
Apr. 25—Fifteen months after launching its drone delivery service in Lockeford, Amazon announced this week it is suspending operations.
In a blog post Monday, the Internet delivery giant announced it was adding a new location to its Prime Air service in the West Valley of the Phoenix metro area in Arizona.
"As we look to the future and prioritize our resources to continue growing the program, we've also made the decision to close our delivery site in Lockeford," the post said. "We'll offer all current employees opportunities at other sites, and will continue to serve customers in Lockeford with other delivery methods."
Amazon thanked the community for its support and feedback over the last few years.
In 2022, Amazon chose Lockeford and College Station, Texas as the first two drone delivery sites in the world.
Last October, the company allowed media outlets a glimpse inside the Lockeford facility, located at 12405 Brandt Road. The site contained a large inventory of items weighing no more than five pounds, delivered within 60 minutes by a handful of drones weighing 80 pounds and measuring 6 feet in diameter.
Amazon said its College Station facility would remain open.
Prime Air customers received emails on Monday from Amazon stating the service would end effective April 22.
Patti Stetson, chair of the Lockeford Municipal Advisory Committee, said she will miss seeing the drones delivering items to residents and hearing the buzz of the machines overhead.
She also thanked Amazon for giving Lockeford the opportunity to be a part of its service expansion.
"It means so much to small communities like ours to know that there is place for us in the 21st-century economy," she said. "Amazon did a great job of investing in our local community in ways big and small. We will miss them as a good neighbor in our community and hope for opportunities like this in the future."
