08/28/2026
FROM THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR:
With recent news releases confirming the intent of Amazon to begin using piloted drones for deliveries from its West Deptford fulfillment center, many residents may be wondering what this means for the Woolwich community, at large.
As the fulfillment center is located in West Deptford, their municipality has the primary obligation to ensure Amazon complies with their local ordinances. Woolwich Township does not have jurisdiction in this particular matter and cannot influence these results of Amazon’s delivery expansion.
What we can confirm with the community on this process is that West Deptford Emergency Officials attended a meeting with Amazon on Aug. 19, which focused on the company’s intended drone delivery expansion. At this point in time, West Deptford has confirmed that Amazon currently does not have the necessary Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approvals, and thus cannot operate drones from their ACY1 facility.
Amazon’s Prime Air holds FAA Part 135 certification, which currently applies to commercial air carriers. In order to continue their drone expansion, they will need to both apply and receive approval from the FAA for its localized operation. West Deptford confirmed that Amazon is in fact working towards application submission for these permissions, but no timeline has been set. Any maps, operating areas (including those that indicate part of Woolwich), hours of operation, or timelines to begin drone operation cannot be confirmed until the FAA issues the appropriate approvals and guidance for their operation.
As this process continues, Amazon will need to pursue West Deptford Planning or Zoning Board approval, which will require public notices for application, as well as public meetings that allow residents to comment. Any planned improvements at the ACY1 facility in West Deptford will require these notices, and will be publicized to keep residents informed. Additionally, Amazon has agreed to hold separate public information sessions with the public. There are no confirmed dates at this time, but West Deptford has offered RiverWinds Community Center or the West Deptford Municipal Building to facilitate this initiative.
Woolwich Township does not have approval authority for this issue, as authority lies both with the FAA and West Deptford. We will continue to work closely with our neighboring communities, including West Deptford, to coordinate public safety communications, as well as future updates about the project.
Additional information provided by Amazon regarding their intended drone program includes, but is not limited to:
Prime Air drones use onboard cameras and sensors for navigation, obstacle detection, and safe delivery; they do not track individuals or record movements.
There is no live camera feed monitored by any person. The onboard camera data is processed by the drone itself for safe navigation.
Prime Air also engineered the drones for real-world conditions, like flying in light rain and a range of temperatures. They're also fully electric with zero exhaust emissions.
During drop-off, the sound level is below that of an idling delivery truck parked curbside and lasts about 30 seconds.
During flight at altitude, it's comparable to a window fan on low and is typically not heard indoors.
To learn more about Prime Air Drone Delivery, please visit their Drone Delivery landing page with FAQs: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/?ie=UTF8&nodeId=T3jxhuvPfQ629BOIL4"
Thank you,
Natalie Matthias
Woolwich Township Mayor
856-467-2666 x7150
Learn about Amazon's ultra-fast drone delivery service. Find out when deliveries are made and how quickly you can expect your package.
