1. There may be physical or environmental constraints
Dense vegetation or tree canopy
An address is deeply covered by high trees, dense foliage, or thick canopy and the Zip cannot deliver.Obstacles overhead (power lines, cables, antennas, utility poles, guy wires, cables for cable TV, etc.)
Overhanging power lines or thin wires are difficult to detect and avoid and may prevent serviceability.Tall surrounding structures or urban canyon effect
The address has a narrow corridor between tall buildings or other objects, making it impossible to deliver.Restricted or hard to reach delivery point
There is no clear delivery area free of clutter (e.g. playground equipment, rooftop ventilation, satellite dishes) large enough for the Zip to deliver.Flood zones, water bodies or wet/swampy ground
The delivery area is above water or in wet/marshy ground.High-wind corridors or turbulence
An address lies in an area prone to strong localized wind gusts.Magnetic or radio interference in area
If there is heavy electromagnetic interference (EMI) or magnetic anomalies (near substations, radio towers, high-power lines) that prevent flying in the area.
2. There may be regulatory or airspace constraints
No-fly zones or restricted airspace
An address lies under or within restricted airspace. These are usually "hard blocks" Zipline cannot operate in.Proximity to airports or approach/departure paths or other controlled airspace
Altitude limitations or ceilings
Local regulations may limit Zip altitude or require buffer zones above homes; an address might fall inside a zone where the maximum altitude (or operational buffer) prevents flying.Population density
Some jurisdictions prohibit our Zips from flying over people, or impose stricter rules in dense urban areas. If an address is in a dense, “over-people” environment, it may prevent us from flying.Local ordinance restrictions
Some municipalities may have local ordinances restricting our flights over residential areas, privacy laws restricting certain flight paths, or permit requirements for our Zips to operate in certain neighborhoods.
3. There may be operational or system constraints
Beyond Zip's range or battery constraints
Our service areas are constrained by the amount of power required to fly to your location. An address may be near the edge of our service area.Congested flight corridors or air traffic
In an area with heavy air traffic (or low-altitude air traffic), route conflicts may make some addresses impractical to serve.
4. Customer-site or “last meter” constraints
No safe delivery point
An address has no delivery point suitable for landing the delivery zip.Crowded environment or many people or pets
If the location is heavily trafficked by people or pets, Zipline may not offer service in that area.Dynamic obstacles at delivery time
Obstacles not normally present in the environment, like construction equipment, cranes, or other tall objects may prevent serviceability.Unclear address
Zipline relies map information to guide us in establishing service areas. Newer subdivisions or "new builds" may not yet be updated to allow Zipline to establish service in an area.
5. Communication, sensing, and safety constraints
GPS degraded areas
Since Zipline's aircraft rely on GPS positioning to fly, if an area has low GPS signal quality, it may be unserviceable.Electromagnetic interference / jamming risk
The address is close to radio jammers, broadcast stations, high-power transmitters, or other sensitive infrastructure.Interference from other UAV/drones
The airspace around an address is too congested.
In all cases, changes to service areas, restrictions, regulations and technology change over time, so if you are signed up in the app, you'll be notified when Zipline is able to service your address.