Amazon has suspended its drone delivery service in the West Valley Phoenix Metro Area of Arizona following an incident on Wednesday where two of its MK30 drones crashed into a construction crane.
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The crash occurred around 10:00 AM local time in Tolleson, Arizona, approximately two miles from the Amazon distribution centre that serves as the drones’ launch and landing hub. Though no serious injuries were reported, one man was treated for smoke inhalation from the wreckage, according to a report by ABC15 Arizona.
A witness, Gabriel Dahlberg, a diesel mechanic, told KPNX’s 12 News that he saw one of the drones clip the cable of the crane which was being used to lift equipment onto a building.
Sergeant Erik Mendez of the Tolleson Police Department stated that the preliminary investigation indicated the two Amazon drones were flying “back-to-back” when they both struck the crane. The wreckage landed in two separate parking lots, approximately 100 to 200 feet apart.
Local police and fire departments responded to the scene, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed it will investigate the incident with Amazon’s full cooperation.
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“We’re aware of an incident involving two Prime Air drones in Tolleson, Arizona. We’re currently working with the relevant authorities to investigate,” Amazon spokesperson Terrence Clark said in a statement.
The company began its same-day drone deliveries in Tolleson last November using its MK30 drones, which are designed to carry packages up to five pounds.
This marks the second time the service has been grounded in the area since starting less than a year ago. Deliveries were previously paused in January to allow Amazon to complete software updates and FAA validations following a separate drone crash at a testing facility in Oregon. The duration of the current service suspension is unknown.
