Amazon has withdrawn its application to launch Prime Air drone deliveries from a distribution center in Westborough, Massachusetts, following opposition from residents and local lawmakers and a regulatory hurdle from the state’s Aeronautics Division.
The company notified Westborough Town Manager Kristi Williams on Friday, October 30, that it was pulling its site plan review application. The proposed operation would have used unmanned aircraft to carry packages weighing less than 5 pounds to customers within a 7.5-mile radius of Amazon’s fulfillment center.
State approval was also required
Amazon’s withdrawal came after Denise Garcia, administrator of the Aeronautics Division, told the company that it could not establish a takeoff and landing area in Westborough—or elsewhere in Massachusetts—without first receiving a certificate of approval under Chapter 90. The requirement added a state-level approval step to a proposal already facing municipal review and organized local opposition.
“Tonight Amazon called us to share that they would be withdrawing their application to the Town of Westborough for a drone package delivery launch site. We are extremely pleased and thank Amazon for listening to the overwhelming concerns voiced in making this decision,”
Sen. Mike Moore said in a statement after the withdrawal. Rep. Jim McGovern also said he supported Amazon’s decision, stating that he had opposed the plan after hearing concerns from the community earlier in October.
Local rules targeted commercial drone operations
Westborough residents recently voted overwhelmingly to establish a local bylaw regulating drones. The measure would have required a 150-foot safety zone between commercial unmanned aircraft staging and ground operations and included privacy protections. Violations would have been subject to a $300 fine.
The proposal had drawn objections related to several areas:
- Safety around the proposed launch and landing site
- Privacy and the effect of flights over surrounding communities
- Environmental and quality-of-life concerns
Local lawmakers said Amazon’s application had generated sustained public resistance. The company had planned to operate Prime Air from its Otis Street facility, with the delivery area extending beyond Westborough’s borders. Amazon’s withdrawal ends the current site plan review process, although the company said it valued its relationship with the town and intended to work with town officials on next steps.
Broader debate in Massachusetts
The Westborough dispute has also prompted a broader debate over how commercial drone delivery sites should be reviewed in Massachusetts. Sixteen lawmakers from central Massachusetts have asked Gov. Maura Healey to impose an indefinite moratorium on processing applications from commercial drone delivery operators. They are also seeking a task force to examine the state’s existing rules and recommend updates.
The immediate outcome is a setback for Amazon’s proposed Massachusetts operation, but the regulatory issues raised by the application extend beyond one facility. The state approval requirement, the town’s local bylaw and the lawmakers’ request for a moratorium all concern how launch infrastructure, privacy and community participation should be handled when delivery flights cover multiple municipalities.
