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Amazon Drone Tangles with Power Lines in Latest Delivery Mishap

In the latest setback for Amazon's drone delivery ambitions, one of the e-commerce giant's unmanned aerial vehicles got tangled in power lines during a drop-off in Waco, Texas, prompting a Federal Aviation Administration investigation.

The incident, which was captured on video, marks the second time this year that Amazon's "Prime Air" drones have collided with external structures in the U.S., where the company has been testing the technology since 2022. While no injuries were reported, the latest mishap raises fresh questions about the viability of Amazon's plans to use drones to fulfill 500 million package deliveries annually by the end of the decade.

According to the footage, the drone was returning to its base after dropping off a package in a customer's yard when it snagged on overhead internet cables, severing one of the lines. The drone then initiated an emergency landing, with Amazon stating that the incident did not disrupt local connectivity.

"We're working closely with the FAA to investigate the incident," an Amazon spokesperson said. "Safety is our top priority and we will leverage learnings from this incident to continue improving the safety and reliability of our delivery operations."

The e-commerce behemoth has faced a series of regulatory hurdles as it seeks to scale up its drone delivery program, known as "Prime Air." Earlier this year, two Amazon drones collided with a construction crane in Washington state, though the company maintained that the episode did not result in any injuries or property damage.

Industry experts say the latest incident underscores the technical and logistical challenges Amazon must overcome to make drone deliveries a mainstream reality. Issues around battery life, weather resilience, and airspace management have hampered the rollout of such services, which companies like Alphabet's Wing and UPS have also been pursuing.

"Amazon is still in the early stages of developing this technology, and they're going to have to work closely with the FAA and local authorities to address safety concerns before they can achieve their ambitious targets," said Samantha Radocchia, a drone industry analyst at Gartner.

With the global parcel delivery market expected to grow to $606 billion by 2027, the stakes are high for Amazon to get its drone program off the ground. But the latest incident suggests the company still has work to do to convince regulators and the public that its aerial logistics vision is ready for prime time.