NAMPA, Idaho — Amazon Prime Air is looking to bring drone delivery technology to Nampa, and on Thursday evening, residents got a closer look at what that could mean for their neighborhoods.
During a community meeting at the College of Western Idaho, Amazon representatives presented plans for the company’s proposed MK-30 drone delivery operations in Nampa.
The company says a planned “paddock” facility near its Amazon site off Franklin Road would serve as the launch, landing, and charging hub for drone deliveries.
“Our next goal is to bring this new innovation to Nampa, Idaho,” said Sam Bailey, Senior Manager for Economic Development at Amazon. “We feel this will enhance the customer experience by providing rapid delivery through our FAA-regulated drones.”
According to Amazon, the drones weigh about 85 pounds, can carry packages up to five pounds, and would serve customers within about a 7.5-mile radius of the Nampa facility.
The company says deliveries would operate during daytime hours, beginning 30 minutes before sunrise and ending 30 minutes before sunset.
Amazon says the service is designed for smaller, immediate-need items like medicine, household essentials, or urgent purchases. Deliveries would cost an additional $4.99 fee, and customers would need to be home and select a designated drop-off location.
“Within an hour or less, that drone will deliver that from about a 12- to 13-foot drop,” Bailey said during the meeting.
The proposed program also raised concerns from residents in attendance.
“My concern was mainly just, is the streaming situation for movies, games, online Zoom going to be worse? And that's my biggest fear,” one attendee said.
Privacy and safety were among the biggest topics discussed during the meeting.
“How are they gonna track you that you're there?” asked Gina Johnson, a Meridian resident who said she attended the meeting to voice concerns. “Are they just gonna say, yes, you're there and you hope to be there, or is it more deeper than that?”
Johnson also questioned what responsibilities customers may have if something goes wrong during a delivery.
“What contract would I have to sign? A consent form? What’s the liability if you're not there?” she asked.
Amazon says the drones are equipped with “detect-and-avoid” technology designed to identify people, animals, and other obstacles during flight.
The company also says the drone’s perception system only scans the designated delivery area and is not intended for general surveillance. According to Amazon, any video captured during flights is not actively monitored by operators and is deleted once the drone returns from delivery.
“That’s something that we embed into our system to make sure that we adhere to federal and local regulations regarding sound and privacy and create a good customer experience,” Bailey said.
Amazon says the project could bring about 30 jobs to the area, including drone operators and maintenance technicians, with roughly 12 to 15 drones expected to operate from the site.
The proposal is expected to go before Nampa’s Planning and Zoning Commission on May 26. Amazon says the project would also require approval from the Federal Aviation Administration before operations could begin.
If approved, the company says it hopes to have the drone delivery system operational by the end of the year.
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