Overview
- On Sept. 29 three Westborough-area legislators sent Amazon a letter asking the company to pause its Prime Air plan until it provides clear details on operating hours, flight paths, daily flight numbers and customer reach.
- Amazon says it plans to use drones to deliver lightweight packages within about a 7.5-mile radius of its Westborough fulfillment center and has told officials it hopes to begin deliveries by the end of the year.
- The dispute highlights a legal limit on local power because the Federal Aviation Administration controls navigable airspace while towns mainly review changes to facility sites such as drone launch pads.
- Residents and lawmakers have raised specific worries about noise levels, frequency of flights, privacy from camera-equipped aircraft, safety for people and property, and drone cybersecurity.
- Next steps include an Oct. 6 Westborough Planning Board hearing, outstanding FAA permits and a state aeronautics inspection, and the outcome could delay the rollout and shape how other Massachusetts communities respond.