Amazon (NASDAQ:) has been granted permission to test drones beyond the line of sight of a human controller in the UK, which could pave the way for using these machines to deliver packages to homes. The online retailer is one of six companies participating in the trial led by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Other projects include testing offshore wind farms, air traffic control, policing and delivery of emergency medical supplies. Information from The Guardian.
According to the report, Kirkwall Airport in Scotland’s Orkney Islands will take part in one of the projects to test how drones and other aircraft can operate safely side by side. The regulator, which is seeking to finalize regulations for the wider use of drones, said all projects would use “advanced technologies” for tasks such as navigation and detection of other aircraft in controlled environments. The tests will collect important safety data, such as how the drones detect and avoid other aircraft, transmit electronic signals visible to other airspace users, and communicate with traffic control.
“These exciting trials represent a significant step forward in the safe integration of drones into UK airspace,” said Sophie O’Sullivan, future director of aviation at the CAA. “By supporting projects from consumer distribution to critical infrastructure surveys, we are gathering essential data to shape future policies and regulations. Our aim is to make drone operations beyond vision a safe, everyday reality, contributing to the modernization of the UK. Incorporating new technologies into airspace and our skies,” he added. said.
Last year, Amazon said it wanted to launch drone home deliveries in the UK and Italy by the end of 2024. It currently offers drone deliveries in the Lockford area of California and College Station, Texas in the US. Guardian. However, it’s been almost eight years since the tech company announced it was completing its first commercial drone delivery in the English city of Cambridge. The company scaled back the UK division of its drone division Prime Air in 2021.
“Clear regulatory requirements are critical for operators like us to bring and scale new technologies such as drone delivery to customers in the UK,” said David Carbone, vice president and general manager of Prime Air. Partner with us to help clarify regulations that support commercial drone delivery.
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