People are worried that Amazon's drone tests are going to severely disrupt rare owls
Amazon is quietly testing its 25kg delivery drones, which can fly at speeds of up to 50mph, at a historical site in the Cambridgeshire countryside, according to multiple reports.
The company's unmanned aerial vehicles are being flown over a 2,000-year-old road just outside Balsham, east of Cambridge, the BBC reported last week. The site - known as the Roman Road and Fleam Dyke trail - runs through an area that's home to a number of rare birds, according to The Mirror, including long-eared owls, turtle doves, buzzards, and hawks.
Julia Napier, secretary of the Friends of the Roman Road and Fleam Dyke group, told The Mirror: "We are absolutely horrified at the idea. There are dozens of protected species of flora and fauna and birds that will be severely affected by the noise and disturbance of drones."
Despite numerous drone sightings from land users and the Cambridge Aero Club, Amazon is refusing to confirm the exact location of its drone tests, which have been approved by the UK government. The company told the BBC that the testing site's location could not be disclosed for "commercial" reasons, adding that safety was a "top priority."
Disclosure: Jeff Bezos is an investor in Business Insider through his personal investment company Bezos Expeditions.