The drone division of Amazon has withdrawn from the Commercial Drone Alliance, citing disagreements over safety rules for commercial drone operations.
Amazon Prime Air said the alliance opposed regulatory proposals requiring drones to carry detect-and-avoid systems designed to prevent collisions with crewed aircraft. In a letter seen by Reuters, the company said the group's stance on key safety issues was "incompatible" with Prime Air's safety standards.
Prime Air said its own detect-and-avoid technology has already been tested in more than 70,000 flights and is essential for safely expanding drone deliveries. The decision highlights growing tensions within the rapidly developing drone industry as regulators and companies debate how strict safety requirements should be before large-scale commercial drone services become widespread.
As Prime Air stated in its letter:
This requires rigorous, capability-based standards - including requirements that mandate drone technologies capable of detecting non-cooperative crewed aircraft. The risk of a drone collision with a crewed aircraft is not theoretical.