- Blue Jay lasted less than six months despite rapid development
- Prototype status was not clearly communicated during Blue Jay’s initial press releases
- Blue Jay employees are reassigned to programs utilizing core robotics innovations
Amazon has steadily developed warehouse robotics since acquiring Kiva Systems in 2012, creating the foundation for automated fulfillment centers.
By July 2025, the company had deployed more than 1 million robots in its warehouses, demonstrating a strong commitment to robotics while highlighting the operational complexity involved.
Despite this scale, not all in-house robotics initiatives succeed, and the company’s latest experiment, Blue Jay, illustrates the challenges of rapid innovation.
The Rise and Fall of the Blue Jays
Unveiled in October 2025, Blue Jay was designed as a multi-armed robot capable of sorting and moving packages in same-day delivery facilities.
Testing began at a facility in South Carolina, where Amazon noted that the development cycle was unusually fast—about a year—compared to other warehouse robots, a speed attributed to advances in artificial intelligence.
Despite its rapid development, the project lasted less than six months before being halted, demonstrating that speed alone does not guarantee operational success.
Amazon confirmed that the Blue Jay was introduced as a prototype, which it has not clearly stated in previous press releases.
Employees who worked on the project are being reassigned to other robotics programs that use the Blue Jay core technology.
Terrence Clark, a spokesman for Amazon, said the company intends to accelerate the use of underlying Blue Jay innovations in future warehouse robotics and maintain continuity while shifting focus to more sustainable applications.
While Blue Jay is no longer active, Amazon continues to develop other warehouse robots, including Vulcan.
Vulcan has two robotic arms – one dedicated to rearranging and moving items in storage spaces, while the other uses a camera and suction cups to pick and place individual items with precision.
Its sensors allow it to detect the weight, shape and orientation of packages, enabling it to handle objects without causing damage.
The robot’s software continuously adapts to variations in package size and density so that it can optimize picking sequences and reduce delays in order fulfillment.
Vulcan operates within Amazon’s fulfillment and high-density centers for same-day delivery, where space constraints require precise navigation and coordination with existing conveyor systems.
The robot’s dual-arm configuration enables it to handle multiple objects at the same time, increasing throughput in storage spaces without requiring human intervention for repetitive lifting tasks.
Its visual and tactile sensors provide continuous data to on-board processing units, enabling real-time adjustments to grip force and movement trajectories.
Integration with warehouse management software enables Vulcan to receive task priorities.
It dynamically plans routes and communicates with other robotic devices to prevent collisions or bottlenecks, supporting a more efficient automated workflow.
Via TechCrunch
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