Westborough Residents Vote to Block Amazon Drone Deliveries

Residents of Westborough, Massachusetts, voted 510-13 on October 19 to pass a bylaw restricting commercial delivery drones. The measure targets ground-based activities, effectively prohibiting the establishment of launch pads or drop zones within the town to protect privacy, safety, and quality of life. The vote follows a proposal by Amazon to launch its first New England Prime Air Delivery Service from a facility at 64 Otis Street, where the company intended to conduct up to 1,000 deliveries per day of packages under five pounds within a 7.5-mile radius.

While the Federal Aviation Administration has already approved the deliveries and concluded there was no significant environmental impact, the local bylaw seeks to regulate noise and property use. The measure now awaits approval from the Massachusetts Attorney General and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Aeronautics Division.

MassDOT has notified Amazon that it must obtain a certificate of approval from the Aeronautics Division before beginning operations. State officials noted that Amazon has not yet submitted an official request for review, which must include public safety and environmental assessments. Simultaneously, 16 state legislators have urged Governor Maura Healey to establish a task force and a moratorium on commercial drones pending a comprehensive regulatory review.