Drone Delivery Company Operations Approved by FAA
Pixabay
Drone Delivery Company Operations Approved by FAA
https://thehill.com/policy/technology/3531431-faa-approves-drone-delivery-from-zipline/
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/faa-certification-puts-drone-firm-zipline-in-league-of-its-own
Drone delivery is a technology that large companies including Amazon and Walmart have been working on for years. Drone-delivery is perfect for small items including medical equipment, sundries and groceries and consumer goods weighing a few pounds. The novelty and convenience this technology brings are exciting for consumers including myself, and potentially extremely attractive as an investment. Zipline has just attained “small-air carrier” status under FAA Part 135, allowing it to operate as an unmanned delivery service. This is a huge step forward for the technology service, and sets the precedent for others to follow.
Drone delivery is a great way to deliver small items, and the logistics that go into this new system are challenging to say the least. Zipline has been authorized by the FAA to work as a “small-air carrier” in the United States, and can make deliveries long-range. The FAA is the governing body for air traffic and airplane manufacturing in the United States. Under FAA Part 135, Zipline is able to deliver packages, and has a current range of 26-miles. Zipline makes a delivery every 4-minutes and has experience delivering medical supplies. Zipline has also partnered with Walmart and Toyota to refine its operations. The drones contain a small package that can be dropped and deployed. Zipline is attacking the packaging-engineering and scalability aspect of the drone-delivery business through innovation and investment.
Drone delivery has a number of hurdles before mass-adoption including regulations, packaging, drone-design and profitability. A number of these issues can be solved through engineering efforts, and regulatory agencies must be engaged to streamline the legal process. Zipline has paved the way forward, and being able to operate as a small air carrier is a big step. Other legal considerations include property and insurance policies. Scalability is another major issue that Zipline is working on, and through partnerships with retailers and manufacturers this is becoming a reality.
Zipline is the first of many drone-delivery service companies that will partner with large retailers to integrate drone-delivery as a service. The FAA’s authorization is key to developing a path forward for more progressive drone-delivery across the United States.
Posted on Hive, Blurt and Steemit