Earlier this year, Mayor Nathan See of Pea Ridge, Arkansas, said that drone delivery company Zipline had become a “totally normal part of life” in his city. “People use it to order groceries and to get meals. There are people that enjoy just watching the drones take off,” See was quoted as saying in a blog post published on Zipline’s website. “Zipline keeps sick people at home by delivering medicine and lets our residents spend more time with each other. We’ve loved having Zipline as a part of the community and we’re excited for the company’s continued growth in our community.”
Except that quote was in large part not written or conceived by the mayor. It was drafted by a Zipline’s US Community Engagement Lead, according to emails obtained by 404 Media. Those emails show Zipline wrote the main thrust of the mayor’s praise, who then edited it slightly. 404 Media obtained the emails through a public records request.