Amazon drone snags internet cable in Texas, triggering federal probe

Amazon Prime Drone

Amazon is once again under scrutiny after one of its Prime Air delivery drones brought down an internet cable in central Texas, prompting a federal investigation. The incident took place on 18 November in Waco, shortly after the drone had completed a package drop.

According to video footage verified by CNBC, the MK30 drone was rising out of a customer’s garden when one of its six propellers became entangled in a nearby wire. The impact sheared the line, and the drone’s motor cut out before it executed what Amazon calls a “safe contingent landing”. It touched down with minor damage to a single propeller and without causing any injuries or major outages.

The Federal Aviation Administration has launched a probe, while the National Transportation Safety Board said it is aware of the incident but has not opened an investigation of its own. Amazon has acknowledged the mishap, confirming it covered repair costs for the customer and apologised for the inconvenience.

The timing is awkward for Amazon. Only last month, federal authorities began investigating a separate crash in Arizona in which two Prime Air drones collided with a construction crane, leading the company to temporarily halt deliveries in the area. Both cases underscore the challenges Amazon faces as it attempts to turn its decade-long drone vision into a dependable, scalable delivery system.

Amazon launched drone deliveries in 2022 in College Station, Texas, and Lockeford, California, but progress has been slow. Regulatory red tape, shifting deadlines and last year’s layoffs have all delayed its ambition to reach 500 million drone deliveries annually by 2030.

The MK30, Amazon’s latest hexacopter, is designed to be quieter and lighter, with a sense-and-avoid system intended to spot obstacles in the air and on the ground. But the Waco incident raises questions about how these systems perform around everyday hazards like overhead cables.

Despite the setbacks, Amazon is expanding its drone network, adding locations such as Kansas City, Pontiac, San Antonio and Ruskin, and planning further growth in Texas. Walmart, meanwhile, has moved quickly with its own drone partnerships through Wing and Zipline, intensifying the race to control the skies of last-mile delivery.