By Ahmed Abdelsalam
Delivery drones from companies like Amazon and Walmart are becoming a daily presence in many US neighborhoods, but their distinctive high-pitched buzz is sparking growing complaints from residents who find the sound intrusive and stressful.
Residents disturbed by drone buzz
In North Garland, Texas, administrative assistant Ashley Schmidt says the noise triggers a fight-or-flight response and can be heard inside her home. She has stopped spending time in her garden and cycling to local parks because of the constant overflights. Similar frustrations are emerging in other areas where drone delivery services are expanding, including Amazon Prime Air's rollout to nearly 500 US cities and towns and its recent launch near Darlington, England.
Noise impact and regulatory gaps
Antonio Torija Martinez, professor of acoustic engineering at the University of Salford, explains that drones operate at low altitudes over residential areas, exposing communities unaccustomed to aircraft noise. Research shows people react strongly to sounds they perceive as novel, intrusive, or frequent. The US Federal Aviation Administration regulates commercial drones but has faced criticism for allowing noisy operations, stating that operators and local leaders bear primary responsibility for community concerns.
Startups target noise reduction
London-based Greenjets has developed a propulsion system that encloses spinning blades inside a pod, claiming it can reduce drone noise by at least two-thirds. The design uses slower rotor speeds and vibration-damping materials. Detroit-based Sharrow Engineering took a different approach, creating twisted loop-shaped propellers without tips after founder Greg Sharrow realized blade tips generated most of the noise. The company says its rotors are dramatically quieter and has validated the technology for drone applications.
Military and conservation uses
Quieter drones are also in demand beyond deliveries. Greenjets' technology has been used by police and harbour security in Germany and by conservationists in Africa tracking poachers without detection. Robert Tollast of the Royal United Services Institute notes that US Special Forces are experimentally exploring noise reduction, though speed remains the priority for larger military drones in conflicts like Ukraine.
Major companies also improving
Amazon says its latest custom-designed propellers produce almost half the perceived sound of previous models with a milder tone. Wing, which provides drones for Walmart deliveries, designs propellers to minimize noise and varies flight paths to avoid repeated overflights of the same homes.
Residents want halt until solved
For affected residents like Schmidt, the only acceptable solution would be to stop drone deliveries in her area until the noise nuisance is eliminated. She wants operations halted completely until companies figure out how to make their services unobtrusive.
