Amazon Prime Air drone noise draws complaints from Texas residents

Residents say the drones are hard to live with

Residents in Houston, Texas are filing a steady stream of noise complaints about Amazon's Prime Air delivery drones, according to TechRadar, which cites reporting by Chron. The aerial delivery service began operating in the area earlier this year, and people living under the flight paths say the constant buzzing has worn thin.

One resident, Theresa Gibson of the Bridgestone neighbourhood, told Chron that the novelty has worn off. She compared the sound to a swarm of bees at a much higher volume, and said it continues all day.

Gibson's home sits directly beneath the route the drones take, and she says dozens of them pass overhead daily. Complaints have been filed regularly since the service arrived.

What Amazon says about the sound levels

Amazon maintains that the noise is not a serious problem. The company says that when a drone lowers a package, the sound is quieter than an idling delivery van at the kerb and lasts roughly 30 seconds. In flight at altitude, it says the drones are about as loud as a window fan on its lowest setting and are usually not audible indoors.

In a statement to Chron, Amazon said it has been listening to feedback and that most of each flight happens at higher altitudes, so any sound reaching the ground is brief. The company also said overall reaction to the service, which promises deliveries in under 30 minutes, has been very positive.

Amazon adds that it has been meeting with residents and city leaders about adjustments to how the drones fly.

How the service has grown

Prime Air's first delivery trials took place in 2022. Since then the programme has expanded across several Texas cities, with operations running in Houston, Waco, San Antonio and Richardson for months before a wider rollout.

In August, Amazon announced plans to bring the service to another 500 cities across the United States. That expansion is what puts many more neighbourhoods directly under drone routes, which is why the noise question is likely to keep coming up.

Why the complaints matter

The dispute highlights a practical hurdle for drone delivery: the technology may work well, but people living below the routes experience it differently from the customers receiving packages. A service that sounds acceptable in testing can become a daily annoyance when dozens of flights pass over the same homes.

Whether Amazon's meetings with residents and city leaders lead to changed flight paths or quieter operations remains to be seen. With hundreds more cities planned, how the company handles these complaints in Texas could shape how welcome drone delivery is elsewhere.