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U.S. Authorities Investigate Amazon Drone Crashes in Arizona

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The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have launched investigations into two Amazon Prime Air delivery drones that crashed after colliding with a crane in Tolleson, Arizona, on Wednesday.

Amazon had started its drone delivery service in the Phoenix metro area’s West Valley in November 2024, allowing customers to receive small packages—up to 5 pounds (2.3 kg)—within an hour. The company paused drone operations in Arizona following the incident but said they would resume flights on Friday.

Amazon spokesperson Terrence Clark stated that the company’s internal review found no technical malfunction in the drones or their supporting systems. He emphasized that “safety is our top priority,” and announced new measures such as enhanced visual landscape inspections to better detect moving obstacles like cranes in future operations.

The accidents come as Amazon continues to push toward its ambitious goal of delivering 500 million packages per year by drone by 2030. The company has been steadily expanding its autonomous delivery network, including a 2023 partnership with Amazon Pharmacy to deliver prescription medications by drone in College Station, Texas.

Broader regulatory shifts are also underway. In August 2025, the U.S. Department of Transportation proposed updated rules allowing drones to fly beyond the visual line of sight of operators—an essential step toward mainstream drone delivery. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the initiative as transformative: “It’s going to change the way that people and products move throughout our airspace… You may get your Amazon package—or even your Starbucks coffee—from a drone.”

The Tolleson incident underscores both the promise and complexity of integrating drones into everyday logistics, as regulators and industry leaders race to balance innovation with airspace safety.

USDOT Criticizes Verizon’s Progress on $2.4 Billion FAA Telecom Contract

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U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy expressed concerns on Tuesday that Verizon is “not moving fast enough” on its $2.4 billion, 15-year telecom contract with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Duffy’s comments come as he plans to request tens of billions of dollars from Congress to reform air traffic control systems.

“I want companies that want to move fast,” Duffy stated at a press conference. “I can’t wait 10 years… The American people can’t wait 10 years or 12 years to lay fiber.” The remarks followed last week’s announcement from Elon Musk’s Starlink, which denied media reports suggesting it sought to take over the Verizon FAA contract.

In response, Verizon assured it is working closely with the FAA to create an advanced, safer national air traffic control system. The company emphasized its willingness to collaborate with other firms that could offer complementary services to the new communications network, and noted that their solutions are ready for deployment.

Duffy stressed the urgency of addressing aging air traffic control systems, saying, “It’s not going to be one company. We’re going to need a lot of companies to buy in and help build up the system.” Last week, SpaceX clarified that Starlink had no intention of overtaking any existing FAA telecom contract. The company explained that Starlink could serve as a partial fix to the aging system, but emphasized it was not seeking to assume control of the contract.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has warned that the FAA must urgently act on its outdated air traffic control systems, with one-third deemed unsustainable. There are also suggestions among some Democrats that the FAA could cancel the Verizon contract and offer it to Starlink due to Musk’s close ties to President Donald Trump. Musk, leading a federal cost-cutting operation, has previously criticized the current FAA telecom system.

The FAA has recently tested three Starlink terminals at a government facility in Alaska to improve weather information access for pilots and the FAA.

Trump’s USDOT Nominee Confirms Continuation of Tesla Safety Investigations

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President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Sean Duffy, confirmed that ongoing investigations into Tesla’s advanced driver assistance system will continue under his leadership. During a U.S. Senate hearing, Duffy expressed his commitment to allowing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to complete its probe into Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software, which is under investigation after four collisions, including a fatal crash in 2023.

The investigation involves 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with the FSD software, and Duffy assured lawmakers that the probe would proceed without interference. Senator Ed Markey pressed Duffy to ensure that NHTSA would operate independently, regardless of political pressures, to which Duffy responded, “I will let NHTSA do their investigation.”

Tesla, which did not respond immediately to requests for comment, has faced increased scrutiny over its driver-assistance systems as the company transitions toward self-driving technology. In addition to the FSD investigation, NHTSA recently launched a separate inquiry into 2.6 million Tesla vehicles concerning a feature called Actually Smart Summon. This system, which allows users to remotely move their cars, has been linked to crashes due to failure to detect obstacles or parked vehicles, prompting further concern over Tesla’s safety protocols.

In December 2023, Tesla recalled over 2 million U.S. vehicles to address safety issues related to the Autopilot system. NHTSA is still investigating whether the recall measures sufficiently mitigate the risk of driver inattention.

Duffy also mentioned that he would review the Federal Aviation Administration’s proposed fine of $633,000 against Musk’s SpaceX for violations of launch license regulations.