Şunun için etiket arşivi: Transportation Department

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.