WESTBOROUGH: Amazon is seeking approval for its first Prime Air drone delivery site in Massachusetts, with residents urging greater scrutiny of the proposed Westborough facility over noise, privacy and safety concerns.
The company wants to build a 6,800-square-foot Prime Air Drone Delivery Center at its existing warehouse. The project would form part of Amazon’s wider plan to expand drone deliveries to suburban areas across nearly 500 US cities.
Amazon plans to operate its six-blade MK30 aircraft from the site. The drones measure about five feet by five feet and can travel at roughly 60 to 75 miles per hour.
Deliveries would cover homes within a 7.5-mile radius, reaching Shrewsbury, Grafton, most of Southborough and parts of Marlborough and Worcester. Packages weighing less than five pounds could arrive in as little as 30 minutes.
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Amazon says its drones lower packages from about 13 feet above a designated landing area. Residents have raised concerns about aircraft noise, privacy and the safety implications of frequent flights over populated areas.
Christine Farmer asked Westborough’s Select Board to have the Planning Board reconsider Amazon’s special permit application and seek a community, environmental and safety impact study.
Rod Jane argued that Westborough would bear most of the effects because the delivery centre would operate from the town. Wayne Lockhart urged officials to explore geofencing options that could restrict flights over designated areas.
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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) controls US national airspace and flight paths, limiting the authority local governments have over drone operations.
Municipal boards retain control over land-use and permitting matters connected with the Westborough site.
