Amazon looking to launch drone delivery service in Central Mass., but some residents are concerned
There may soon be a buzz in the air around Worcester County, as Amazon is looking to expand its drone delivery service in Westboro, Massachusetts. Some vocal residents are not thrilled about the plan.
Amazon is still going through the regulatory process and meeting with local leaders around Westboro, with hopes of launching the service there by the end of the year.
Prime Air uses autonomous drones measuring about 5 feet by 5 feet to deliver packages directly to customers' properties, within an hour of an order being placed.
The company is already operating drone delivery flights in about a dozen metro areas, with plans to expand the service to several hundred cities and towns across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
"Westboro, Mass. has been exactly that type of beacon of innovation that we're looking for," said Amazon's Tareq Wafaie during an August Select Board meeting about the proposal, pointing to the company's already large footprint in Westboro, which includes a fulfillment center and robotics facility.
Under the plan, drones would operate from Amazon's existing Westboro facility on Otis Street and deliver products to homes within a 7.5-mile radius.
"Our drone is unique in that it does not disrupt what's happening on the ground," explained Wafaie, saying sensors and cameras work to ensure no person, animal or thing is in its flight path or delivery zone. "This is a serious aircraft built with all of the most up-to-date safety standards. With that, it can hold a payload of up to about 5 pounds, which happens to be about 60% of all of the product in our fulfillment centers."
Wafaie is among the Amazon officials who have been meeting with local leaders and discussing the program's safety and community benefit. But the proposal has also generated questions and concerns from residents.
"Is it really worth the risk? Is it really what we want in this town?" one person asked during a Westboro Planning Board meeting.
Others raised concerns about how frequently drones could be flying overhead and the potential noise associated with the service.
"Think of how many flights there are going to be, and if you're a business and or you've got your guests that are there, it's going to be an extremely loud noise, I would imagine, continuously," another person said during the meeting.
Residents have also raised concerns about privacy and what increasingly drone-filled skies could mean for the character of the community. Amazon representatives say the drone noise is comparable to an idling delivery truck when close to it, and that cameras cannot be accessed, only serving as a safety measure for flights.
"Westboro's been a beautiful, old, you know, historic town, and I just think that things are being pushed a little too forward in town more recently," lifelong Westboro resident Julie Squires said.
Squires said she does not see a personal need for deliveries arriving within 30 minutes and suggested neighbors could help one another instead.
"I personally don't need anything that quickly. And if there were people that needed it in town, I'd be happy to go deliver it for them without having to have things flying around in our skies," Squires added.
In a statement, Amazon spokesperson Jack Stelzner said the company is continuing to explore an expansion into the area.
"We are always exploring new ways to get customers a wider selection at faster speeds. Prime Air currently delivers to customers in locations across the country and the response from customers using Prime Air has been overwhelmingly positive. We are currently working with local officials and exploring opportunities to expand our fast, reliable drone delivery service to reach customers in the Westborough area and locations around the country."
The company is also planning a community meet-and-greet at the Doubletree by Hilton in Westboro on Wednesday, Sept. 23 from 5 to 7 p.m., where residents will have an opportunity to ask questions about the drone delivery service.
