For the past 11 years, Amazon has been working on developing a drone delivery system, first revealed by founder Jeff Bezos in 2013. Despite significant research and development, a full-fledged drone delivery system has yet to emerge, partly due to regulatory barriers. One major hurdle has been the inability to fly drones beyond the line of sight of a human supervisor, a requirement that has now been lifted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Amazon announced on Thursday that the FAA had granted its Prime Air division additional permissions, allowing it to operate drones beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). This permission was obtained after Amazon submitted detailed information about its onboard detect-and-avoid system, which ensures the drones can safely spot and avoid objects while flying between a delivery depot and a customer’s property.
To obtain this permission, Amazon conducted flight demonstrations in the presence of FAA inspectors, showcasing its technology in real-world scenarios. The demos involved flying in the presence of real planes, helicopters, and a hot air balloon, demonstrating how the drone safely navigated away from each of them. Amazon also provided extensive analysis and test data to further validate the safety of its system.
The new permissions will enable Amazon to expand its drone delivery test program in College Station, Texas, where it plans to fully integrate the airborne drop-off service into its delivery network later this year. The goal is to deliver small items, such as household essentials, beauty items, and drugstore products, within 30 minutes of an order being placed. Amazon aims to deliver 500 million packages per year by drone by the end of this decade.
Amazon’s Drone Delivery Dreams Take Flight with FAA Approval
Amazon’s drone delivery system uses a drop-off method, where the package is pushed out of the drone from a low altitude when it arrives at the delivery address. In contrast, Alphabet-owned Wing’s drone delivery system uses a tether to lower the item to the ground. While both companies are constantly improving the safety of their aircraft and air traffic systems, they are also working to refine the design to make the machines quieter, as one of the complaints about delivery drones is the loud noise they make.
The FAA approval marks a significant milestone for Amazon and the drone delivery industry as a whole. With this permission, Amazon can now start to scale its drone delivery operations, bringing the service to more customers and expanding its reach. While there are still regulatory hurdles to overcome, the industry is making progress towards making drone delivery a reality.
As the industry continues to evolve, Amazon and other companies will need to address concerns about noise levels, privacy, and safety. However, the potential benefits of drone delivery, including increased efficiency, reduced traffic congestion, and faster delivery times, make it an innovative solution worth exploring. With the FAA approval in place, Amazon is one step closer to realizing its vision of a future where drones deliver packages to customers’ doorsteps in a matter of minutes.
