WESTBOROUGH, Mass. — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is responding to concerns from Westborough residents about Amazon’s planned drone delivery service.
The Westborough Town Council voted to create a bylaw restricting unmanned aircraft at a Special Town meeting on Monday night.
The meeting came after members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation sent a letter to the FAA and Amazon asking them to examine the potential impact of drone deliveries.
In its response, MassDOT said it has heard residents’ concerns and made clear that “Amazon must obtain approval from our Aeronautics Division before moving forward.”
MassDOT also said Amazon “will need to demonstrate that its operations will not pose a risk to public safety and that it will minimize safety impacts on surrounding neighborhoods and the environment.”
Amazon has said it plans to use unmanned aircraft to deliver packages weighing less than 5 pounds within a 7.5-mile radius of its fulfillment center.
The new bylaw now heads to the state Attorney General’s Office and MassDOT’s Aeronautics Division for approval before it can take effect. The state will have 90 days to approve or reject it.
Boston 25 has reached out to Amazon for comment.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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