Federal regulators have launched another safety investigation into Amazon’s Prime Air service after one of its delivery drones struck and downed an internet cable in Texas. The incident raises further questions about the program’s reliability as it attempts to scale.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the agency overseeing drone operations, confirmed on Tuesday it is probing the November 18 event in Waco. This marks the second federal probe into Amazon’s drone operations in as many months.
According to Amazon, the drone performed a “Safe Contingent Landing” after clipping the wire, and no one was injured. The company stated it has paid for the cable’s repair.
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FAA Launches Probe After Texas Incident
Official investigations are underway by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration into the latest incident involving an Amazon Prime Air drone. The FAA probe into Texas incident follows an event on November 18 where an MK30 model drone struck an internet cable in Waco, Texas, shortly after completing a customer delivery.
Confirmation of the probe came from the FAA, which stated “A MK30 drone struck a wire line in Waco, Texas, around 12:45 p.m. local time on Tuesday, November 18.”
Amazon acknowledged the event, explaining that “after completing a delivery, a drone clipped a thin, overhead internet cable then performed a ‘Safe Contingent Landing.”
Following the incident, an Amazon spokesperson confirmed “there were no injuries or widespread internet service outages.”
In a separate statement about Amazon’s apology for the incident, the company added, “We’ve paid for the cable line’s repair for the customer and have apologized for the inconvenience this caused them.” The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said it is not investigating this particular incident.
A Pattern of Safety Concerns
This latest probe is not an isolated event for the ambitious delivery program. It marks the second major federal investigation into Prime Air’s safety in the last two months alone.
In October 2025, both the FAA and NTSB began investigating an Arizona crane collision where two separate delivery drones struck a construction crane boom. That incident prompted Amazon to pause deliveries in the area for a day.
For a program with ambitions to reshape last-mile logistics, its operational history includes a documented pattern of earlier safety concerns. Multiple crashes have occurred at a test facility in Pendleton, Oregon, and one 2021 crash of a prototype drone reportedly caused a 25-acre brush fire.
Even the newer MK30 model, involved in the Waco incident, has faced scrutiny. The drone was linked to crashes in late 2024, which led to a voluntary January 2025 software pause for system updates.
Operational Hurdles Challenge Grand Ambitions
Repeated safety incidents create significant headwinds for Amazon’s goal of delivering 500 million packages by drone annually by the end of 2030. Each event highlights the real-world challenges of navigating low-altitude airspace, which contains unpredictable obstacles like the utility lines struck in Texas.
While the company emphasized its safety protocols, continued regulatory scrutiny could slow down the planned expansion of the Amazon Prime Air service. Amazon has previously announced plans to launch in new U.S. cities and expand internationally to the UK and Italy.
Amazon is not alone in facing operational difficulties. Its primary competitor’s Walmart’s drone delivery program has encountered different problems, including a drone being shot down by a resident in Arkansas in 2024.
Last Updated on November 27, 2025 1:48 pm CET