Amazon Closes California Drone Delivery Site Ahead of Expansion
Amazon announced on Monday that it will close its drone delivery site in Lockeford, California, as it plans to expand the program to other cities.
Lockeford, a city near Stockton and Sacramento in Northern California, was one of the first places to receive Amazon’s Prime Air drone delivery service, which enlists a drone to deliver a package to a customer’s backyard in less than an hour. Prime Air first became available to Lockeford residents in 2022.
Amazon didn’t announce a specific closure date for the Lockeford facility but did share that current employees at the site will be offered employment opportunities at other locations.
‘We want to thank the community for all their support and feedback over the past few years. We’ll continue delivering in College Station, Texas and will open further U.S. locations in 2025,’ a news release said.
College Station, Texas, was also one of the first places to receive the program. Amazon hopes to expand its Prime Air to Arizona later this year. The company also plans to roll out its new MK30 drone, which is currently conducting flight tests.
