Amazon given approval for US drone testing
Amazon has been given approval by The Federal Aviation Administration (FFA) to test a delivery drone in a live environment. Last month Amazon had criticised regulators for being too slow to approve commercial drone testing.
The Federal Aviation Administration had earlier given the go ahead to for Amazon to prototype a drone in March, but a week later that the prototype had already become obsolete while it waited more than six months for the agency’s permission.
The FAA has now granted Amazon’s request to test delivery drones in a letter dated addressed this Wednesday.
FFA LETTER TO AMAZON
Amazon are restricted by keeping flights at an altitude of no more than 400 feet and are not allowed to fly faster than 100 miles per hour states the letter.
Amazon wants to use drones to deliver packages to its customers over distances of 10 miles or more, which would require drones to travel equipped with technology to avoid hitting other aircraft.
In February, the FAA proposed long-awaited rules to try to set U.S. guidelines for drones, addressing growing interest from both individual and corporations in using unmanned aerial vehicles.