Zipline has asked the Federal Aviation Administration to approve drone operations in Arizona with a maximum capacity of 130,000 package deliveries per day, according to a draft environmental assessment published by the FAA in November.

The proposal covers two metropolitan areas, Phoenix and Tucson, and would permit flights 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays. The figures represent maximum operating capacity rather than forecast volumes. Actual activity would depend on customer demand, weather, and other operating conditions, the assessment states.

What would the network look like?

Zipline could establish up to 65 charging locations and 1,300 package dropboxes in each metropolitan area. Each charging location could support as many as 1,000 deliveries per day.

Across both cities, the proposed network could include:

• 130 charging locations
• 2,600 package dropboxes
• 130,000 deliveries per day at maximum capacity
• 24-hour operations, including weekends and holidays

The FAA assessment also identifies up to 390,000 individual flight segments, or transits, per day. Each delivery involves three segments: a flight from a charging location to a package pickup point, the delivery flight to the customer, and the return to a charging location.

Zipline would place charging and pickup infrastructure at commercial sites, including retail stores, warehouses, and partner facilities. The company must locate these facilities in areas consistent with local zoning and land use requirements.

How much night flying is planned?

Although Zipline requests permission to operate around the clock, it expects most deliveries during daytime and evening hours. The FAA assessment estimates that approximately 95% of flights would occur between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. The remaining 5% would take place between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., depending on demand.

The company plans to deploy its Platform 2 delivery aircraft, which has a maximum takeoff weight of approximately 63 pounds and a payload capacity of up to eight pounds.

What does the environmental review cover?

The assessment examines potential effects on surrounding communities, including noise, wildlife, land use, and visual impacts. These questions have grown more pressing as drone delivery operators expand into residential areas. In Massachusetts, Amazon Prime Air's proposed operations in Westborough have drawn community opposition and questions about local zoning and environmental oversight.

The Arizona filing illustrates the scale commercial drone delivery networks could eventually reach. It also raises questions about how communities will evaluate the effects of frequent drone flights, particularly during nighttime hours.

What approvals does Zipline still need?

Zipline already holds an FAA Part 135 air carrier certificate (the regulatory framework allowing cargo-carrying drone operators to fly commercially) and an exemption permitting certain beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations, where the pilot cannot see the aircraft unaided.

The company still needs amendments to its FAA operating specifications and additional approvals before launching the proposed Arizona operations.

The draft environmental assessment forms part of the review required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the statute obliging federal agencies to assess environmental effects before approving major actions.

How can the public comment?

The FAA is accepting public comments on the assessment. The published materials list differing deadlines: the draft assessment specifies December 7, 2026, while the agency's environmental review webpage lists December 9.

Comments may be submitted to 9-FAA-Drone-Environmental@faa.gov with "Zipline Arizona Draft EA" in the subject line.