Amazon Prime Air Drone Delivery Launches in Pontiac, Marking Midwest Expansion After Technical Setbacks

Amazon officially activated its Prime Air drone delivery service in Pontiac, Michigan over the weekend, making the city the company’s third active U.S. market for autonomous package deliveries. The launch follows months of technical fixes after the e-commerce giant suspended operations earlier this year due to safety concerns.

The service represents Amazon’s first Midwest expansion and arrives just in time for the holiday shopping rush, suggesting the company has resolved the altitude sensor issues and crash problems that grounded its fleet in January 2025.

Service Details and Operational Parameters

Prime Air will operate from facilities adjacent to Amazon’s existing Pontiac fulfillment center, delivering packages weighing up to 5 pounds (2.3 kilograms) within a 7- to 8-mile (11.3 to 12.9 kilometers) radius. Customers pay $4.99 for Prime members or $9.99 for non-Prime members per delivery.

Eligible customers within the delivery zone will see a “drone delivery” or “60-minute delivery” option at checkout when ordering qualifying items through Amazon’s platform. The MK30 drones drop packages from approximately 13 feet (4 meters) above ground, eliminating the need for the QR code markers required in earlier iterations.

Amazon representatives emphasized during a July 2025 community event at Lafayette Grande that the drones complement rather than replace human delivery workers. The company has maintained a significant presence in Pontiac through its robotics fulfillment center, which employs over 1,200 associates.

Pontiac’s Role in Drone Delivery Innovation

Pontiac City Council President Mike McGuinness championed the city’s participation in the program. “This is the future of where delivery is heading, and we want to make sure that Pontiac is at the forefront,” McGuinness said during the summer community introduction event.

Ian Conyers, head of Community Affairs at Amazon, noted the company’s longstanding investment in the area.

“Right here in Pontiac, Michigan, we’ve had a site in the community for quite a while that are directly supporting your business and making sure that each step, each opportunity, local community members have the opportunity to apply here,” Conyers said.

City officials point to tangible economic benefits from Amazon’s operations, with McGuinness highlighting how the facilities contribute to the local tax base and fund community improvements.

Current U.S. Drone Delivery Operations

With Pontiac now operational, Amazon runs Prime Air services in three U.S. markets: College Station, Texas; Tolleson, Arizona (West Valley Phoenix area); and now Pontiac. The company aims to deliver 500 million packages annually by drone by 2030, though current operations remain limited compared to that ambitious goal.

The MK30 drone platform features reduced noise levels compared to earlier models and can operate in light rain conditions—addressing two major community concerns that emerged during initial testing phases. The aircraft can travel twice the distance of predecessor models while maintaining the same 5-pound payload capacity.

DroneXL’s Take

The Pontiac launch represents a significant confidence marker for Amazon after a turbulent start to 2025. When the company suspended U.S. operations in January following multiple crashes at its Oregon testing facility, industry observers questioned whether Prime Air’s technical challenges were surmountable. The April resumption after software updates suggested Amazon had addressed the altitude sensor issues caused by airborne dust particles, but expanding to a new market demonstrates genuine operational confidence.

This marks Amazon’s first Midwest market entry and follows a strategic pattern we’ve tracked since the company received crucial FAA BVLOS approval in May 2024. Each new market launch provides Amazon with different environmental conditions to test its systems—Texas heat, Arizona dust, and now Michigan’s varied weather including snow and ice conditions that will stress-test the MK30’s capabilities beyond its light rain certification.

The timing is notable. Launching just before peak holiday season indicates Amazon believes its reliability issues are resolved, but the real test will come when delivery volumes spike in late November and December. Remember, DroneXL’s comprehensive analysis in December 2024 highlighted the stark economic reality: internal projections showed $63 per delivery costs against $4.99-$9.99 customer pricing. That math only improves with volume and operational efficiency.

The FAA’s May 2025 approval for lithium-ion battery product deliveries like iPhones and AirPods significantly expanded Prime Air’s addressable product catalog, making the service more practical for customers. But questions remain about scaling beyond three markets when competitors like Wing and Zipline continue expanding their own networks.

What’s your experience with drone delivery services? Would you use Prime Air if it came to your area? Share your thoughts in the comments below.