News Summary

Amazon has temporarily suspended its drone delivery operations in Texas and Arizona following incidents involving its MK30 drones. Two drones crashed at the Pendleton, Oregon airport during testing in December, with one catching fire. Amazon attributed the crashes to a software issue related to light rain during the tests. Despite these incidents, the crashes were not the primary reason for the pause, as confirmed by Amazon spokesperson Sam Stephenson. The company is currently updating the drone’s software and awaiting Federal Aviation Administration approval before resuming operations. Employees at the drone sites will continue to receive pay during the pause. Amazon began non-medical drone shipments in Texas in 2022 and added prescription deliveries a year later, expanding to Phoenix, Arizona, in 2024.