Westborough residents fight Amazon drone delivery plans

Amazon's plans to launch its Prime Air drone delivery programme in Westborough, Massachusetts, have run into heavy resistance from local residents and officials who say the aerial service is a threat to their quiet town.

At a tense Westborough Select Board meeting on Thursday night, community members lined up to protest the proposal. The opposition was clear before the session even began, with residents rallying outside the building holding signs. Inside, the sentiment was equally hostile.

"The simple answer to all these questions is no, we don't want this," Westborough resident James Bedar told the board.

Under the proposal, Amazon wants to use its existing Westborough distribution centre as a launchpad for the Prime Air service. The retail giant plans to fly five-foot-by-five-foot drones to deliver packages weighing up to five pounds. The service would cover a seven-and-a-half-mile radius around the facility, bringing drone flights directly over residential neighbourhoods.

But locals say the potential disruption far outweighs the convenience of rapid delivery. Residents raised a long list of concerns, ranging from the constant buzz of drone propellers to worries about property values and the local environment.

Security and safety were also high on the agenda. Westborough resident Faina Kofman warned that the technology could easily be abused or cause accidents. "A person with malicious intent could potentially use the drone to threaten or harm, interfere with emergency operations or conduct unauthorised surveillance or damage property," Kofman said.

Even regular Amazon customers expressed discomfort with the idea. Jenna, a local resident and Prime subscriber, said she had no interest in seeing drones hovering over her home. Others complained that too many technical and legal questions about the flights remain unanswered.

The Westborough Select Board is now looking at its legal options to halt or restrict the programme. Board members said they plan to review existing local drone regulations and noise ordinances. They also intend to consult with Massachusetts state lawmakers to see if broader state-level rules can be used to keep the commercial drones out of the town's skies.

Amazon has not yet detailed how it plans to address the specific community concerns raised at the meeting. The company did not respond to requests for comment following the Westborough session. However, earlier in the week, Amazon released a statement saying it looks forward to working with community members and local leaders as it rolls out the Prime Air initiative.

Westborough is not the only community questioning the technology. Amazon has faced similar pushback in other towns across the US as it attempts to scale up its aerial delivery network, with local authorities and homeowners increasingly questioning who controls the airspace above their backyards.