Looking to keep pace withAmazon,Google has announced that it has received permission to begin testing delivery drones in the United States.
Alphabet, the parent company of Google, received permission from the FAA to test drones weighing less than 25kg in designated areas as part of the company’sProject Wing. The announcement, according to The Telegraph, came alongside a number of measures intended to encourage the drone industry introduced by the White House.
Last week, Amazon announced that it had received permission to test the Amazon Prime delivery drone in the UK. A team led by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has provided Amazon with permission to explore three key innovations:
- Beyond line of sight operations in rural and suburban areas
- Testing sensor performance to ensure that drones can identify and avoid obstacles
- Flights where one person operates multiple drones
Amazon reportedly found US regulators less accommodating towards the developing technology than British authorities, thus why the tests will be taking place around Cambridge in the UK.
Under plans released by the White House, which include $35M to support research, Project Wing will carry out experiments with drones at six approved test ranges, aiming to developed unmanned aircraft and the technology needed to allow them to fly autonomously. Google plans to fit its drone with small radio transponders that that broadcast their location so other aircraft know where they are, helping make the research safer.
Project Wing’s prototype drones utilize a large wing and 5 ft. wingspan to create lift and can travel at speeds of up to 60 mph.
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