Amazon pauses Westborough drone project

Amazon requested a formal withdrawal of its drone delivery proposal for Westborough on Friday. The company sent a letter to the town clerk and planning board to remove the plan that it originally filed on July 24. The letter asked for approval to withdraw the proposal without prejudice, a legal term that allows the company to resubmit the application later.

The move follows months of opposition from local residents and elected officials. A group called Mass Blue Skies formed to contest the plan, arguing that the noise and traffic would burden the community. State lawmakers and members of the congressional delegation also intervened. They sent letters to Amazon and the Federal Aviation Administration demanding a review of the project.

Amazon’s proposal involved using a parking lot near its existing fulfillment center in Westborough as a launch site. The plan called for operating 83-pound drones that could make up to 1,000 deliveries per day. These drones would have flown to more than a dozen cities and towns within a 7.5-mile radius. The service area included parts of Worcester and Shrewsbury.

Amazon stated in its Friday letter that it values its relationship with the town. The company said it looks forward to working with officials on next steps. Mass Blue Skies cautioned that the withdrawal is not a final decision. The group posted on its website that Amazon intends to continue working with the town and urged residents to stay vigilant.

The Westborough Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled to hold a hearing on the issue on Monday night at Forbes Hall. Town officials are using this meeting to discuss the withdrawal request and future planning. Amazon aims to serve 500 communities with delivery drones by the end of 2026. It currently operates about 15 drone delivery centers across the United States.

Westborough would have been the first location in New England to host this type of service. Amazon has also proposed a similar launch site in Connecticut, which has faced its own wave of local opposition. The company has not announced a specific date for when it might resubmit the Westborough plan.

The withdrawal request remains pending until the planning board votes. Amazon’s letter does not provide a timeline for returning to the table. The company’s broader strategy involves expanding its Prime Air network rapidly to meet consumer demand for fast package delivery.