The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently approved Amazon Prime Air as an official ‘air carrier’, denoting a turning point for the retailer’s drone delivery initiative. The decision allows Amazon to begin commercial drone deliveries in the United States under a trial programme that lets small delivery drones fly beyond visual line of sight.
“On August 29, the FAA issued Amazon Prime Air a Part 135 air carrier certificate using unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)” the FAA statement said.The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently approved Amazon Prime Air as an official 'air carrier', denoting a turning point for the retailer's drone delivery initiative. The decision allows Amazon to begin commercial drone deliveries in the United States under a trial programme that lets small delivery drones fly beyond visual line of sight.#
There is no clarity, however, on the date on which such operations will commence.
“This certification is an important step forward for Prime Air and indicates the FAA’s confidence in Amazon’s operating and safety procedures for an autonomous drone delivery service that will one day deliver packages to our customers around the world,” Amazon Prime Air vice president David Carbon said in a statement.
“We will continue to develop and refine our technology to fully integrate delivery drones into the airspace, and work closely with the FAA and other regulators around the world to realize our vision of 30 minute delivery,” he added.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)