MassDOT says Amazon cannot begin its proposed Prime Air drone deliveries in Westborough until the department’s Aeronautics Division completes a suitability and public-safety review. As of October 22, 2026, MassDOT said it had received no official notification or review request from Amazon.
What MassDOT’s review covers
The state review must assess whether the proposed operation is suitable and poses no threat to public safety. MassDOT interim secretary Phil Eng said the department would examine potential effects on nearby neighborhoods and the environment, and hold a public hearing.
The reported process is separate from federal airspace regulation and Westborough’s local land-use decisions. The Federal Aviation Administration regulates airspace; MassDOT’s review addresses the proposed operation’s suitability and safety before it can begin.
Amazon’s proposed Westborough service
Amazon proposes converting a parking lot at its Westborough Fulfillment Center into a Prime Air launch site. The reported plan covers a 7.5-mile radius, with packages weighing less than 5 pounds. Boston.com reported that the proposal involved MK30 drones.
Town vote and zoning appeal are separate steps
Westborough’s Special Town Meeting voted 510–13 on October 19, 2026, for restrictions on unmanned aircraft. The proposed bylaw included a 150-foot buffer between launch pads and employee parking, privacy provisions, a ban on town employees ordering items to town property, and fines. The measure still required approval from the Massachusetts attorney general and MassDOT’s Aeronautics Division. The reported restrictions did not give the town authority to deny the proposed operation.
A separate zoning appeal challenges the Planning Board’s accessory-use permit. Residents argue the launch pads should require a special permit as an airport. The Zoning Board of Appeals was scheduled to hear the appeal on November 2, 2026.
What the reported noise figures measure
Boston.com reported an Amazon spokesperson’s claim that delivery noise could reach 68 decibels. Amazon spokesperson Jack Stelzner separately described the sound as comparable to a window fan on low, lasting about 30 seconds and typically not heard indoors, according to WBUR.
A 2025 technical report by Environmental Science Associates, hosted by the FAA, records 92.1 dBA SEL at 25 feet for a maximum-weight MK30 delivery test in Pendleton, Oregon. Sound exposure level (SEL) integrates sound energy over an event. The 68-decibel statement is a company spokesperson’s delivery claim; the SEL figure is a measurement from a specified test in Oregon.
