Amazon drone service leaving.

9,804 Views | 75 Replies | Last: 3 mo ago by Valen
BiochemAg97
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In reply to UhOhNoAgTag • 8:32p, 8/24/25
AG
UhOhNoAgTag said:
Amazon's delivery drones are too loud, College Station residents | Fortune https://share.google/Sbm4QsPiV7RodtOXh


The later generation of drones were quieter.

Still kinda strange to have drone delivery, but still rely on the post office to delivery the packages instead of having a fleet of Amazon trucks.
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BCS-Ag
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In reply to trouble • 11:27p, 8/24/25
Yes they did deliver to Bryan, I saw deliveries in North Oakwood, the neighborhood just north of Hensel Park.
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PS3D
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In reply to TwoTimeAg • 11:36p, 8/24/25
woodiewood1 said:

What big cities had drone delivery?

Google says that they launched in the Phoenix area last year, but the only other one I knew of after College Station was some community in California out in the desert.

TwoTimeAg said:
Another example of CS and their non-business friendly attitude. People say they want the benefits of a big city, but actively work to kill anything innovative. Notice how many comments were about the first version, not the later ones which tried to address the first edition issues

I'm not a fan of the antics the City of College Station has pulled in recent years but I would hope Mr. Yancy helps dispel the idea that "College Station kills businesses" that somehow people have gotten in their heads.
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woodiewood1
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4:27a, 8/25/25
There's a balance needed between what people can do and an over-reach of the city controlling things, That pendulum swings back and forth hopefully more to the freedom of the owner,

The one thing that CS doesn't have that Bryan does is dozens and dozens of vacant buildings and storefronts lining Texas Avenue on both sides, many of which are boarded-up and/or somewhat neglected in property upkeep.
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trouble
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In reply to BCS-Ag • 7:47a, 8/25/25
AG
I just know that every time I looked into it, we were not in the delivery zone. We're basically at Villa Maria and Carter Creek.
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doubledog
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7:48a, 8/25/25
I do not think that we are ready for "drone" delivery. Drop boxes (and stores) on the other hand, are good safe ways to deliver packages.
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Bob Yancy
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In reply to PS3D • 9:43a, 8/25/25
PS3D said:
woodiewood1 said:

What big cities had drone delivery?

Google says that they launched in the Phoenix area last year, but the only other one I knew of after College Station was some community in California out in the desert.

TwoTimeAg said:
Another example of CS and their non-business friendly attitude. People say they want the benefits of a big city, but actively work to kill anything innovative. Notice how many comments were about the first version, not the later ones which tried to address the first edition issues

I'm not a fan of the antics the City of College Station has pulled in recent years but I would hope Mr. Yancy helps dispel the idea that "College Station kills businesses" that somehow people have gotten in their heads.


We don't "kill business" but we sure don't make their job easier. Particularly in construction. That's my opinion, anyway.

Respectfully

Yancy '95
My opinions are mine and should not be construed as those of city council or staff. I welcome robust debate but will cease communication on any thread in which colleagues or staff are personally criticized. I must refrain from comment on posted agenda items until after meetings are concluded. Bob Yancy 95
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Stupe
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10:35a, 8/25/25
S
Back to Amazon.
There seems to be a lot of people jumping assuming when it comes to why they are leaving. What indication has there been that's it's because of noise complaints or the city?

They had a small delivery area, they couldn't drop if there were a lot of trees, and they couldn't carry large packages.
Maybe the cost of doing it here just wasn't profitable.
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doubledog
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In reply to Stupe • 10:40a, 8/25/25
Stupe said:
Back to Amazon.
There seems to be a lot of people jumping assuming when it comes to why they are leaving. What indication has there been that's it's because of noise complaints or the city?

They had a small delivery area, they couldn't drop if there were a lot of trees, and they couldn't carry large packages.
Maybe the cost of doing it here just wasn't profitable.

This, Amazon would need an Elon Musk to make drone delivery happen.
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Grmpy
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11:54a, 8/25/25
Glad it is stopped, I heard a delivery just this past weekend.

I see nothing wrong with folks wanting to keep noise to a lower level. Those insulted by folks wanting a quiet neighborhood are probably the ones leaving a dog out barking all night.

Nothing like buying 100 acres and living at the center of it; there is a reason its a common life goal. Move away from folks wanting to have toothpaste delivered for fun. They would probably still want it to fly over your house.
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Bob Yancy
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In reply to Stupe • 12:41p, 8/25/25
Stupe said:
Back to Amazon.
There seems to be a lot of people jumping assuming when it comes to why they are leaving. What indication has there been that's it's because of noise complaints or the city?

They had a small delivery area, they couldn't drop if there were a lot of trees, and they couldn't carry large packages.
Maybe the cost of doing it here just wasn't profitable.


That's a viable opinion. I've spoken to them directly on numerous occasions and worked like heck to get them to stay. They are very tight-lipped about their operation and I think truthfully only they know for sure why they're leaving.

I had some early traction from them about putting a Whole Foods (their subsidiary) in Macys, with the second floor being the product warehouse for drone delivery with the drone port itself on the roof, or a walled off portion of the oversized parking lot. This would've allowed fulfillment of pharma orders, which they had just announced approval for around the same time, if the Whole Foods had had a pharmacy. I thought I had a winner- that this set up would've been a fantastic application all around. City hall wasn't over the moon about it and Amazon's initial interest also faded. Never "got off the ground," pardon the pun.

For all we know, it could've been a business model viability reason or the neighborhood, or both. Again, I think only Amazon truly knows.

Respectfully

Yancy '95

My opinions are mine and should not be construed as those of city council or staff. I welcome robust debate but will cease communication on any thread in which colleagues or staff are personally criticized. I must refrain from comment on posted agenda items until after meetings are concluded. Bob Yancy 95
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PS3D
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2:05a, 8/26/25
maroon barchetta said:
Oh, and three more words about the city being difficult for businesses.
Jim Lewis Macy's

The issue with the Macy's was that whatever plans Lewis had for the former Macy's the city wanted it more. It was a very unusual situation, but it's a stretch to use it as an example.

Stupe said:
Back to Amazon.
There seems to be a lot of people jumping assuming when it comes to why they are leaving. What indication has there been that's it's because of noise complaints or the city?

They had a small delivery area, they couldn't drop if there were a lot of trees, and they couldn't carry large packages.
Maybe the cost of doing it here just wasn't profitable.


I remember reading that they weren't able to go over Highway 6 or any major obstacles because of FCC/other regulations and thus had an extremely small delivery area.

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MiMi
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1:01a, 8/27/25
S
The drones crossed Hwy 6. I live in Castlegate and they delivered to me. And, while driving on 6, I saw them flying overhead from time to time.
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BiochemAg97
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In reply to PS3D • 7:13a, 8/27/25
AG
PS3D said:
maroon barchetta said:
Oh, and three more words about the city being difficult for businesses.
Jim Lewis Macy's

The issue with the Macy's was that whatever plans Lewis had for the former Macy's the city wanted it more. It was a very unusual situation, but it's a stretch to use it as an example.

Stupe said:
Back to Amazon.
There seems to be a lot of people jumping assuming when it comes to why they are leaving. What indication has there been that's it's because of noise complaints or the city?

They had a small delivery area, they couldn't drop if there were a lot of trees, and they couldn't carry large packages.
Maybe the cost of doing it here just wasn't profitable.


I remember reading that they weren't able to go over Highway 6 or any major obstacles because of FCC/other regulations and thus had an extremely small delivery area.



Initially the case. Regulations required line of sight by the operator among other things. Over time the regulations relaxed.

Keep in mind college station was a test site for drone delivery. They needed to prove it would work, develop the drones to address issues (later drones we quieter than the initial ones) and establish a track record to show the feds they could relax the rules.
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FamousAgg
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12:38p, 8/27/25
Ban loud exhaust on vehicles!!!
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Hornbeck
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4:01p, 8/27/25
AG
You just thought your delivery from USPS was slow before.....
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Valen
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10:52a, 8/28/25
AG
So I actually worked at the Amazon drone facility in 2023 as one of their engineers as well as one of their community liaisons.

It was a really interesting work environment, but there was a lot of deceptions and secrecy. I don't think they ever truly had the community's best interest at heart. They cared mostly about hitting their yearly internal metric goals of x amount of deliveries in the calendar year.

I don't think them leaving overall was the best decision, but the neighbors who lived at the border of the airbase do have a real gripe. They were not quite drones and we ran them a lot.

Happy to answer any questions about the program that I can.
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EliteElectric
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In reply to trouble • 11:25a, 8/28/25
trouble said:
They didn't even deliver to Bryan

Tiffany Park

https://video.nest.com/clip/ce677e5122764c46b370bb9b07ddc537.mp4
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trouble
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In reply to EliteElectric • 11:43a, 8/28/25
AG
Your facts are not needed, sir
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EliteElectric
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In reply to trouble • 12:00p, 8/28/25
trouble said:
Your facts are not needed, sir

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AggiePhil
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In reply to Valen • 3:08p, 9/1/25
AG
Valen said:
...there was a lot of deceptions and secrecy. I don't think they ever truly had the community's best interest at heart. They cared mostly about hitting their yearly internal metric goals of x amount of deliveries in the calendar year.

I experienced this as well.
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Buford T. Justice
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4:35p, 9/1/25
AG
I never understood the logistics behind the service.
It seemed very inefficient.
"Gimme a diablo sandwhich and a dr. pepper...to go"
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b0ridi
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In reply to Buford T. Justice • 4:53p, 9/1/25
Buford T. Justice said:
I never understood the logistics behind the service.
It seemed very inefficient.

A small drone is more efficient than the 3000 pound car of a Doordash/Instacart/etc. driver.
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Buford T. Justice
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In reply to b0ridi • 6:26p, 9/1/25
AG
But didn't the drone deliver one package at a time.
Out and back.
"Gimme a diablo sandwhich and a dr. pepper...to go"
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lwd78
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5:16p, 9/2/25
AG
Drones are interesting, but really nothing more than a thought experiment for Amazon. With an average delivery cost by drone of over $13 per item, PLUS the cost of operating small distribution centers (yes, supply chain is my area of expertise so I do know what I'm talking about here), drones are far from making economic sense.
Likely, Amazon is moving on to test issues that might with other communities. Perhaps larger ones, ones with more serious traffic issues, or even weather patterns.
Their leaving just means that they're collecting other data elsewhere. They had previously closed their other operating drone delivery center, in California.
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EMY92
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5:44p, 9/2/25
AG
Amazon recently announced that drones are coming to Waco. Maybe they're just moving the operation up Hwy. 6?
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UhOhNoAgTag
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In reply to Buford T. Justice • 5:46p, 9/2/25
I think this is why there were so many in and outs at the 950 Apartments.
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Bob Yancy
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In reply to lwd78 • 7:14p, 9/2/25
lwd78 said:
Drones are interesting, but really nothing more than a thought experiment for Amazon. With an average delivery cost by drone of over $13 per item, PLUS the cost of operating small distribution centers (yes, supply chain is my area of expertise so I do know what I'm talking about here), drones are far from making economic sense.
Likely, Amazon is moving on to test issues that might with other communities. Perhaps larger ones, ones with more serious traffic issues, or even weather patterns.
Their leaving just means that they're collecting other data elsewhere. They had previously closed their other operating drone delivery center, in California.


I hope it's that. I hope we didn't run em off. I've been close to the issue for awhile and I know for certain the volume of deliveries never got close to what they asked approval for from the FAA.
My opinions are mine and should not be construed as those of city council or staff. I welcome robust debate but will cease communication on any thread in which colleagues or staff are personally criticized. I must refrain from comment on posted agenda items until after meetings are concluded. Bob Yancy 95
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MsDoubleD81
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In reply to EMY92 • 7:50p, 9/2/25
AG
I'd like to follow and see what happens there.
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TyHolden
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8:49p, 9/2/25
AG
Just get Amazon to build an AI data center here when we get a couple of those modular nuclear reactors.
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UhOhNoAgTag
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9:18a, 9/9/25
Look how excited customers are with drone delivery in the Dallas area!

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TAMU1990
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1:16p, 9/9/25
AG
Maybe they left because of the bitcoin facility? And yes, I think they got tipped off about it.
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Hornbeck
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In reply to TAMU1990 • 6:32p, 9/9/25
AG
TAMU1990 said:
Maybe they left because of the bitcoin facility? And yes, I think they got tipped off about it.


No more power for drones.
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WolfCall
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10:52a, 9/23/25
AG
Wow!
First the Amazon Drone Service Center; then, the Data Center south of William Fitch!

There must be a lot of people in CS painting images of Drones and Data Servers on the fuselages of their automobiles! :-)
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Tookieclothespin
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10:34p, 9/29/25
AG
If you read it carefully, you'll see that we were never in their long term plan.

We were just a testing ground and were never going to benefit from the service once they passed testing milestones and worked out the noise issues.

We were just a place to test their drones before deployment in more densely populated areas.

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