Amazon is building "air traffic control for drones" as it eyes expansion
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Amazon officials say a fulfillment center in Kansas City, Kansas, is the first of many local launch sites for its drone delivery program, which took to the skies earlier this year.
Why it matters: It's not just a cool way to get packages — it's part of an expanding network of drone airspace technology that's delivering items within hours and integrating with first responders.
Driving the news: "There's a large slate of sites that we're looking to launch this year," including in the KC metro, Prime Air manager Josh Brundage told Axios at a ribbon-cutting event Wednesday.
- The MKC6 fulfillment center is one of 12 Amazon facilities in the KC metro.
Zoom in: Brundage says Amazon has led the way in unmanned traffic management systems — "basically air traffic control for drones."
- He says they share data in real time with first responders, who can tell them to avoid areas where operations are underway.
What we're hearing: Maj. Greg Williams, the project manager for the Kansas City Police Department's drone program, told Axios earlier this month that Amazon's second local drone program "will be out farther south. It will be primarily for Kansas City, Missouri."
- Amazon didn't confirm its next location, but spokesperson Andy DiOrio tells Axios drones can deliver from same-day facilities — like the one at 4001 E. 149th St. in KCMO.
Between the lines: Brundage says employees monitor the flights' telemetry, but no one has real-time access to cameras, and video all stays within the autonomous drones.
- Customers can select one of several locations on their property for the drone drop-off.
- The vehicles are manufactured in the United States.
What they're saying: "This isn't about speed. It's about innovation, sustainability, and positioning KCK on the map as a leader in next-generation logistics," Mayor Christal Watson says.
- "It represents jobs, economic opportunity, and a bold step into the future for Wyandotte County."
By the numbers: The drone delivery program added 30 jobs to its 8,000-employee local workforce.
- KC is the seventh metro in the country to get Prime Air, the others being Phoenix, Dallas–Fort Worth, Waco, San Antonio, Tampa, and Detroit.
- The drones, which are 5½ feet tall and weigh up to 80 pounds with a package, fly at 70 mph 200–380 feet above the ground and can deliver an item in under an hour.
What's next: Williams says police will have "an overlay of where the air traffic is with regard to the drone activity" after law enforcement installs new drone defense tech provided by World Cup funding.
What we're watching: The skies.