The site has been branded 'peculiar' with locals concerned at the appearance of security kitted out with radios and ear pieces
A SHROUD of secrecy around Amazon's latest drone testing has culminated in a stand off between photographers and security on the outskirts of Cambridge.
In a hostile confrontation, security marched a group of men away from the testing area, refusing to answer any questions and insisting they leave immediately.
Photographer Dean Cranston said locals had become increasingly intrigued by what was happening on the field, which sits about 10 miles south of Cambridge.
He and two other photographers decided to check out the site after locals became worried and curious about what was happening - but they were confronted by unhappy security.
He said locals had been baffled by the "cloak and dagger" activities.
Speaking to the Sun Online, he said: "Amazon is obviously ploughing tens of millions of dollars into the future of how to deliver parcels.
"They have basically hired a farmer's field in Cambridge, taking it over and doing something there on the land."
He said security armed with ear pieces, binoculars and radios monitored the site constantly, ensuring anyone from the public did not venture off a nature path onto the field.
He said: "They won't identify themselves, they won't confirm or deny anything.
"It's very peculiar."
He said some locals had even speculated that there were "UFOs" at the site so he decided to video their discussions with security.
Amazon has previously vowed to use drones to safely deliver parcels in 30 minutes to customers in the UK and around the world.
But while visiting the field on Thursday, he said the group had been confronted by men, including one with a scarf over his face, who insisted they leave.
Refusing to confirm if they were security, the men were recorded by the savvy photographers who demanded to know why they were being made to move on.
It was only once another security guard appeared - having been radioed in - and ashowed his identification that the photographers agreed to leave.
Mr Cranston said: "It felt really hostile, like some kind of cult.
"You wouldn't believe what's going on there... we were told by locals that there was a lot of strange behaviour going on."
Amazon's owner Jeff Bexos has stated his desire to push his company forward by introducing unmanned delivery drones in a device believed to be called "Prime Air".
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) even granted Amazon special permission to test its aerial vehicles without several of the rules that typically bind drone pilots.
Describing the site, he said: "On the field, they have made some sort of weird square and there are three launch pads and a tunnel system that we think the drones are coming out of.
"This is the field where the future of Amazon delivery is coming from."
In the video of the confrontation, the security guards refuse to hand over any identification, only insisting the men leave.
It is understood Amazon has been at the field for about three months.
The company recently allowed a group of students into the building, with reporting that corporate communications spokesperson Kristen Kish boasted they would be doing "more and more" in the area.
The drones are understood to use GPS coordinates to find its destination, with the devices able to fly to 400ft.
Amazon has been approached for comment.
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