Amazon gets OK from U.K. to test delivery drones
SAN FRANCISCO – Recent rules from the Federal Aviation Administration mean delivery by drone is years away in the United States, but packages may be winging their way to customers sooner rather than later in the United Kingdom, where Amazon just got permission to begin a new trial of its delivery drones.
FAA completes landmark rules for commercial drones
The U.K. Civil Aviation Authority gave Amazon permission to test several key drone delivery parameters.
They include sending drones beyond the line of sight of their operator in rural and suburban areas, testing sensor performance to make sure the drones can identify and avoid obstacles and allowing a single operator to manage multiple highly-automated drones.
U.S. rules are outlined in a 624-page rulebook from the Federal Aviation Administration. They allow commercial drones weighing up to 55 pounds to fly during daylight hours. The aircraft must remain within sight of the operator or an observer who is in communication with the operator. The operators must be pass an aeronautics test every 24 months for a certificate as well as a background check by the Transportation Security Administration.
The rules govern commercial flights, such as for aerial photography or utilities inspection.
The U.K. is a leader in drone innovation, one reason Amazon has a Prime Air research and development facility there, said Paul Misener, Amazon’s vice president of Global Innovation Policy and Communications.
“We want to enable the innovation that arises from the development of drone technology by safely integrating drones into the overall aviation system,” said Civil Aviation Authority Policy Director Tim Johnson. “These tests by Amazon will help inform our policy and future approach.”
Amazon’s goal is to use drones to deliver packages up to 5 pound to customers in 30 minutes or less.
In a patent awarded earlier this month, the Seattle-based company envisioned a Pony Express-like delivery system that used light poles and church steeples as perches for drones as they charged or exchanged cargo.