Overview
- Local officials said on Sunday that Amazon told them it could begin Prime Air flights from the West Deptford fulfillment center as soon as mid-October.
- Amazon gave operational details to officials saying drones would serve roughly a 15-mile radius, operate from 15 minutes before sunrise to 15 minutes after sunset, fly under 400 feet, and carry items weighing 5 pounds or less.
- More than 100 residents have signed a petition seeking public hearings and disclosures about data practices as neighbors raise privacy, noise, safety, and quality-of-life concerns.
- Amazon has posted local Prime Air jobs for flight monitors, ground managers, and safety officers at West Deptford, and the site launch is part of a company plan to expand drone coverage to nearly 500 U.S. towns by year-end.
- Amazon says drones fly autonomously using cameras and sensors rather than constant human monitoring, but FAA and NTSB scrutiny of drone operations and rival pilots from companies like Walmart could shape how quickly flights begin and how rules evolve.