Drones aren’t what they used to be. Once reserved for strategic purposes, drones of all shapes, sizes, and prices are flying around now, with Parrot enabling normal consumers to pick one up to goof off with, and Amazon even going so far as proposing to use drones for package delivery. Of course, Prime from the sky can’t happen without a little practice, and practicing with drones in airspace that’s common with commercial airliners requires permission.
Now, Amazon is requesting permission from U.S. regulators so that it can test out these delivery drones near its Seattle campus. The request alone should suppress pundits who were suggesting that its drone delivery ideas were nothing more than hot air. This is the first important step in seeing Prime Air to fruition, with the goal being to deliver small boxes in under 30 minutes within major cities.
As of now, Amazon can test drones inside and in other nations, but the FAA has acceptable drone use in limited situations. The catch is that the FAA has yet to clear Seattle as a test flight city, so if Amazon is granted permission, it’ll be groundbreaking on a number of fronts.
We’re all for it if it means quicker deliveries and fewer missing items.
