It is no surprise that progress towards urban air aviation is continuing despite the current pandemic. Indeed, the coronavirus has given opportunities for operators to demonstrate the benefits of drone deliveries.
The latest development has seen Amazon take a step closer to being able to deliver small packages to people’s homes within the US via drones. The process has been challenging given that FAA regulations are designed for piloted aircraft rather than unoccupied drones. There are still some regulatory and technical hurdles to overcome, but the direction of travel is clear.
Other companies in the US have already obtained sufficient authorisation to allow them to conduct limited drone deliveries, e.g. UPS delivers medical supplies within a hospital campus. With this step forward by Amazon and FAA regulations expected by the end of the year to cater for drone deliveries, these are likely to become part of the “new normal” before too long…
Amazon, for example, said last year it plans for its devices — a family of drones known as the MK27 — to make deliveries within 7.5 miles (12 kilometers) of a warehouse, reach customers within 30 minutes, and carry packages weighing as much as five pounds.
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