According to news on the evening of May 30, Beijing time, Amazon has recently received strong support from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA has approved beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) flight for Amazon’s PrimeAir delivery drone, marking an important milestone in Amazon’s quest to revolutionize package delivery.
The so-called "beyond visual line of sight flight" refers to the flight of a drone beyond the visual range of the driver or observer. This approval demonstrates Amazon’s commitment to technological innovation and its ability to adapt to changing market conditions. As online shopping surges during the coronavirus pandemic, consumers are now increasingly opting for contactless delivery options, further accelerating demand for drone delivery services.
And Amazon’s fleet of PrimeAir drones is poised to play an important role in this new era of delivery. Amazon's drones have previously demonstrated their ability to fly relatively long distances, but the FAA is still finalizing regulations for drone deliveries over crowds and buildings. It is reported that these drones will need to be able to fly pre-planned routes without human operator supervision.
Amazon isn't the only company pursuing drone delivery. Alphabet's Wing and UPS also received FAA approval to operate their own fleets of drones. This is expected to drive competition and innovation in the drone delivery market, ultimately benefiting consumers by making package delivery faster, more efficient and affordable.
In addition, the FAA’s approval of Amazon’s PrimeAir delivery drone fleet to fly beyond visual line of sight also marks an important step forward in the commercial popularization of drone technology. As regulation continues to evolve and technology advances, I believe there will be more innovations that will change the way we live, work, and play.