Amazon's delivery drone crashes into apartment building weeks after program suspension.
A tragic incident has unfolded in Richardson, Texas, as an Amazon drone crashed into a residential apartment building on February 4. The drone, identified as an Amazon MK30 model, was delivering a package when it suddenly lost control and slammed into the entrance of the building. Cesarina Johnson, who witnessed the crash from her apartment window, captured the incident on video.
Johnson described the scene as chaotic, saying "Oh s—! Oh God! Man down" as she saw the drone crashing towards the front entrance. She continued to film the incident, which included debris flying through the air after the drone hit the building. The drone's propellers were still spinning when it crashed, and Johnson reported that there was a strong burning smell.
Firefighters responded quickly to the scene, where they found the smoking drone and began examining the damage. They worked with Amazon employees to collect the drone's pieces and load them onto a truck for disposal.
Amazon has apologized for the incident and stated that they are investigating the cause of the crash. The incident occurred about two weeks after the company temporarily suspended its commercial drone delivery operations in Texas and Arizona due to software malfunctions caused by light rain at their testing facility in Pendleton, Oregon.
This latest incident raises concerns about the safety and reliability of Amazon's drone delivery program, particularly in areas with high population densities such as apartment buildings. As the use of drones for package delivery becomes more widespread, regulators and policymakers are likely to take a closer look at the risks associated with this technology.
A tragic incident has unfolded in Richardson, Texas, as an Amazon drone crashed into a residential apartment building on February 4. The drone, identified as an Amazon MK30 model, was delivering a package when it suddenly lost control and slammed into the entrance of the building. Cesarina Johnson, who witnessed the crash from her apartment window, captured the incident on video.
Johnson described the scene as chaotic, saying "Oh s—! Oh God! Man down" as she saw the drone crashing towards the front entrance. She continued to film the incident, which included debris flying through the air after the drone hit the building. The drone's propellers were still spinning when it crashed, and Johnson reported that there was a strong burning smell.
Firefighters responded quickly to the scene, where they found the smoking drone and began examining the damage. They worked with Amazon employees to collect the drone's pieces and load them onto a truck for disposal.
Amazon has apologized for the incident and stated that they are investigating the cause of the crash. The incident occurred about two weeks after the company temporarily suspended its commercial drone delivery operations in Texas and Arizona due to software malfunctions caused by light rain at their testing facility in Pendleton, Oregon.
This latest incident raises concerns about the safety and reliability of Amazon's drone delivery program, particularly in areas with high population densities such as apartment buildings. As the use of drones for package delivery becomes more widespread, regulators and policymakers are likely to take a closer look at the risks associated with this technology.
, can you believe this?! A drone just crashed into an apartment building in Texas... what if someone was hurt or killed?! 
I mean, Amazon says they're investigating, but how many times does it take for them to get it right? And another thing, what's with these temporary suspensions due to software malfunctions?! 
It seems like a never-ending cycle of problems. They need to figure out ways to make their drones safer and more reliable ASAP 
. I'm not saying drones are all bad, but this just shows how vulnerable they can be... it's time for some serious reform 
.
. A crash into an apartment building? That's just a recipe for disaster 
. I mean, you'd think with all the fancy tech and testing they've done, they could've gotten it right by now 
. Guess we'll just have to wait and see how they fix this and make drone delivery safer for everyone 
... can you imagine being like cesarina johnson and witnessing that?! 
it's not just about the package delivery, it's about safety first! 
we need more regulation on these drone programs before they become a norm.
. we need to have a serious conversation about the risks we're taking with this technology. are we really worth the gamble? 
This is exactly what people are talking about - the risks of drones flying around our cities. It's one thing to have them deliver packages in the middle of nowhere but in densely populated areas like apartments?! No thanks... just not worth it 
u guys think amazon is just gonna get away with this? like they're already testing drones in residential areas & nobody's stopped them yet 
The thought of packages being delivered by flying machines is already sketchy enough 
, but now this... 
Like, come on! 
And then they just keep flying anyway and... crash! 
Not to mention the cost of repairs or worse, replacement drones 
. Amazon needs to get its act together and prioritize safety over speed 
.
. Let's not forget who we're putting our trust in here... 
. I'm not saying Amazon is reckless or anything, but come on, you'd think they'd learn from their mistakes by now 
that's so sad! What's even crazier is it happened weeks after they put their program on hold... like, what were they doing? 
which is kinda true, I guess...
. They gotta consider people's lives over those delivery times 
. either way, this is a major blow to their drone delivery program 
. can you imagine the liability insurance premiums going through the roof 
?
OMG what is going on with these drones?! I mean I know they're trying to make deliveries faster but safety should be their number one priority! This thing crashing into an apartment building in broad daylight? That's just crazy!