Amazon delivery drones take flight in Metro Detroit, are they a nuisance to neighborhoods?

HAZEL PARK, Mich. (FOX 2) - Amazon delivery drones are becoming a topic of discussion as the delivery giant hopes to expand their services. However, their convenience is turning into a grievance for some Metro Detroit residents who live nearby.

Amazon Delivery Drones in Southeast Michigan

Big picture view:

Perhaps you’ve seen them flying over your home. By the end of 2026, Amazon says they have plans to expand their airborne shipping to nearly five hundred cities. But are these drones cool or are they a nuisance?

FOX 2 visited Hazel Park and watched the drones take off from the Amazon fulfillment center, but they are far from perfect. A video spreading across the internet out of Texas of an Amazon drone delivering a package but missing the mark, with the package landing in a hot tub.

So far, nothing like what happened in Texas has affected Metro Detroit. But they are attracting a lot of attention.

"Oh, it’s pretty crazy. You can tell the future is directly in our faces," said resident Christian Hoffer. "We saw them land the other day for the very first time. You should’ve seen all the neighbors came out of their houses, and it was like chaos on the block."

However, other residents are raising concerns on the amount of constant noise as drones fly in, out, or across neighborhoods, some loud enough for people to hear inside their homes. 

"We’re on a walk when we saw one come down, so it was kind of loud just coming down," said resident Sarah Gelinas. "I wouldn’t say it was anything too crazy but if you’re outside, it definitely takes away from the calm vibe. And it’s like I think about, you know, in 10 years, and I’m not going to be sitting on the porch. You’re listening to a symphony of drones. What’s that going to feel like?"

Where can I find Amazon Delivery Drones in Metro Detroit?

Local perspective:

There are two facilities in Metro Detroit that do drone deliveries, one in Hazel Park and another in Pontiac, located where the Pontiac Silverdome once stood. 

• The Pontiac location covers Auburn Hills, Waterford Township, Bloomfield Hills and Township, West Bloomfield Township, Pontiac and Troy.
• The Hazel Park location covers Ferndale, Royal Oak, Warren and Hazel Park.

Their services span 7.5 miles from facilities and can only carry packages up to five pounds. 

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