Amazon ends Prime Air drone delivery service in California, eyes Arizona expansion

Amazon is closing its Prime Air drone delivery program in Lockeford, California, marking a shift in its pioneering efforts in autonomous delivery.

The move comes as the company turns its attention to expanding its drone operations in other markets, particularly in Arizona. Lockeford served as an early testing ground for Amazon's drone delivery service, allowing local residents to receive deliveries within 30 minutes.

The closure of the Lockeford location, which opened in 2022, comes with little explanation from Amazon. However, the company announced that employees from Lockeford will have opportunities to transition to other sites.

Meanwhile, the company continues to test its latest MK30 drone, designed to be lighter and fly through light rain, with deployment expected later this year.

The decision reflects Amazon's ongoing efforts to refine its drone delivery technology after facing setbacks in previous models. Despite an early head start in the industry, Amazon has fallen behind competitors like Zipline, which reported completing 1,000,000 deliveries by April 2024.