Amazon Drone Delivers Package into Arizona Pool
Amazon’s experimental service with delivery drones has encountered some turbulence in the past few months, and a recent incident in the West Valley, caught on camera, involving a package and a pool, is raising concerns.
Also known as MK30s, the drones can carry up to five pounds and deliver within several-mile radius of an Amazon warehouse. The drones have been taking flight for customers in Tolleson and Avondale.
For customers, the delivery service is known as Prime Air. Amazon says it aims to deliver packages in 60 minutes or less, offering 50,000 daily household items.
A video captured by a customer shows the drone dropping a shoe box-sized package into a backyard. The drone propellers blow it several feet from the grass into the pool.
“It had the drone option, so we did it just to see how it was,” said Daniel Muniz, who placed the order. “When I saw that, I didn’t even know how to react. The first thing in my head was ‘man, should I just stop recording?’”
Luckily, Muniz ordered something inexpensive that wasn’t fragile: vitamins.
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The drone option shows you a map of your backyard. It displays an icon indicating where the package will be dropped. Daniel says it already had an area selected. “So we let it choose,” he said, not expecting it would end up in the pool.
Since Amazon launched the service, there have been a few mishaps.
In May, an Amazon drone was seen laying on its side in the middle of an apartment complex in Tolleson. However, the retailer said it didn’t crash but made a precautionary controlled landing due to external factors outside of its control.
Arizona’s Family also notified Amazon of this incident involving the backyard pool, and the retailer sent the following statement.
“Through Prime Air, our goal is to provide safe, fast delivery and great service to customers and the results we’ve seen in Tolleson have been overwhelmingly positive. Incidents like this are rare across our network and we apologize for the inconvenience this caused Mr. Muniz. Our team stands ready to answer any questions Mr. Muniz may have.”
Amazon spokesperson Steve Kelly
Right now, Muniz says, unless he is home, he won’t use the service.
Source: Arizona's Family
