Amazon drone delivery service drawing noise complaints from Richardson residents: "It's just a nuisance"

Amazon's drone delivery program is drawing complaints from some Richardson residents, who say the aircraft have become a frequent and disruptive presence over their homes.

The Amazon Prime Air facility in Richardson opened in December 2025. Residents who live nearby say they have been hearing and seeing drones flying overhead throughout the day.

"It sounds like a beehive coming right across, right above our houses, but it just, it's just a nuisance," said Scott Bratcher, who lives less than a half mile from the facility.

Bratcher said the flights are particularly noticeable on weekends.

"We're less than about a half a mile from the facility, and they are just flying nonstop all day long," he said. "And the weekends, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, it's just crazy."

Some residents have started tracking the flights themselves. Bratcher said some have purchased antennas that allow them to monitor drone activity in real time.

"So, this is the hub right here of Amazon," Bratcher said while tracking the flights. "And you can see all the flight paths here … and there's one right there."

Another Richardson resident, Scott Ricamore, said the number of flights can vary significantly from one neighborhood to another.

"So, we're seeing basically drone highways," Ricamore said. "Some residents are seeing hundreds of flights a day over their house, when the neighbor across the street might not be seeing any at all."

The sound of a drone even interrupted an interview with residents, making it difficult to continue the conversation.

City and Amazon addresses concerns 

Amazon's Richardson facility is 1 of 10 Prime Air facilities in the United States and 1 of 4 in Texas.

Amazon said it has received overwhelmingly positive feedback about the drone delivery program and disputed concerns that the aircraft creates significant noise.

"Sound heard on the ground is minimal and short-lived, comparable to a passing car, and fewer than 1% of the customer service inquiries we receive about Prime Air are about noise," Amazon said in a statement.

Richardson Mayor Pro Tem Ken Hutchenrider also said the noise is brief when drones pass overhead.

"When they are flying over, it's very, very short, and very, very brief," Hutchenrider said.

Richardson city leaders have addressed drone concerns at public meetings and created a resource page where residents can submit complaints to Amazon and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Residents say they initially viewed drone delivery as a convenient new service but are now concerned about the impact of frequent flights on their neighborhoods.

"But what we've actually seen are hundreds of families impacted at the end of the day," Ricamore said. "The city has a responsibility to preserve the quality of life for our residents."

Bratcher said he believes residents are pushing back as major companies expand their drone delivery services.

"I think we're standing up for the little people," Bratcher said. "And you got these big companies, Amazon for one, just trying to take over. It's not right."

Amazon is continuing to expand its Prime Air program, which could mean more drones flying over communities across the country.

"So, get ready, America. Here they come," Bratcher said.