FAA certifies Wing Aviation for drone delivery in the U.S.

April 30, 2019 | Case Study

Many logistics-focused companies, such as Amazon, Mercedes-Benz, and even 7-Eleven, have tried to get their own drone delivery projects off the ground, but have been limited by regulations. Now, Alphabet's drone subsidiary Wing Aviation has become the first certified drone air carrier in the U.S., following recent approval from the FAA. The company can now perform low-altitude consumer deliveries (below 400 ft) with its electric drones, supporting delivery payloads of roughly 3 lbs. Currently, the geography for operations is limited to southwest Virginia during fair weather and daylight, but pilots will operate up to five drones at a time. This improved operator ratio is a step up for drone delivery compared to previous 1:1 limitations.