UPS has proudly announced that it has been granted approval by the government to operate a "drone airline." The company sought permission from the Federal Aviation Administration in July and was only granted the certification to operate the network on Oct. 1.
UPS said that its drone delivery network will be first utilized by hospital campuses across the United States. Its drone delivery subsidiary called UPS Flight Forward was granted a Part 135 Standard certification.
For the uninitiated, drones are also regulated by the FAA in the same vein as commercial airplanes do. The federal government is responsible for evaluating these devices, so delivery companies planning to use drones need to be granted a certification from the FAA, similar to companies that fly planes.
Upon receipt of the certification, UPS made the first Part 135-certified drone delivery in Raleigh, North Carolina, delivering medical supplies to the WakeMed hospital campus. The package delivery company aims first to use this clearance to deliver packages to hospitals, but will eventually expand to other industries. This means that drone deliveries in residential areas will soon become a reality in the US.
"When the (FAA) regulations are complete we certainly believe there are residential opportunities and other delivery opportunities that will help supplement the incredible group of drivers we have all over the world," CEO David Abney told CNBC.
Part 135 Standard certification will allow UPS to fly as many drones as needed. The company will be allowed to operate drones at night, carry packages of more than 55 pounds, and fly drones beyond the visual line of sight of the pilot.
In a normal setting, these activities are considered illegal. Only with the approval from the FAA will exempt operators from restrictions.
UPS is proud to be the first company granted full Part 135 Standard clearance. Uber Eats and Amazon Air have been trying to get FAA's approval as well, but both companies haven't been permitted to operate drone deliveries yet, as of writing.
Obviously, it's a huge win for UPS Flight Forward. Check out UPS's video below of what it's delivery drones might look like in action.
#UPS makes history again! Today we become the 1st company to gain full approval to operate a drone airline. Check out this video for more about UPS Flight Forward. #Growth #Technology #UPSFleet pic.twitter.com/KRJHejTdQ9 — UPSers (@UPSers) October 1, 2019
