Amazon Restarts Drone Deliveries in Texas, Arizona After FAA Approval

Amazon has restarted its Prime Air drone delivery service in College Station, Texas, and Tolleson, Arizona, after a two-month pause for software updates following issues with altitude sensors affected by local dust. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved the necessary updates, allowing deliveries to resume safely. The new MK30 drones are designed to operate more quietly and efficiently, with initial reports indicating deliveries can be completed in as little as 15 minutes. Despite the advancements, local residents have expressed concerns about noise from the drones, leading to pushback against service expansion in College Station. Amazon aims to deliver 500 million packages annually via drone by 2030, although it continues to trail behind competitors like Alphabet's Wing and Walmart's Zipline in drone delivery execution. The company has faced prior incidents, including crashes, but asserts these were part of rigorous testing and unrelated to the recent operational halt.