Coming Soon: Amazon Drones get FAA Approval

Nerds everywhere rejoice! The FAA has granted approval for Amazon to begin experimental use of drones. I don’t know about you, but it’s good to see drones being used for something other than killing people and monitoring backyard BBQs. Watch and see what you may be seeing sooner than you think…

Not drones yet, but here’s another update:

AMAZON launches one-hour delivery in Baltimore, Miami… http://t.co/1da4vz2ubi

— DRUDGE REPORT (@DRUDGE_REPORT) March 19, 2015

Here’s the actual text from the FAA detailing their ‘experimental’ approval.

March 19–The Federal Aviation Administration today issued an experimental airworthiness certificate to an Amazon Logistics, Inc. unmanned aircraft (UAS) design that the company will use for research and development and crew training…Under the provisions of the certificate, all flight operations must be conducted at 400 feet or below during daylight hours in visual meteorological conditions. The UAS must always remain within visual line-of-sight of the pilot and observer. The pilot actually flying the aircraft must have at least a private pilot’s certificate and current medical certification.

The certificate also requires Amazon to provide monthly data to the FAA. The company must report the number of flights conducted, pilot duty time per flight, unusual hardware or software malfunctions, any deviations from air traffic controllers’ instructions and any unintended loss of communication links. – FAA LINK

And here’s a hawk attacking a drone just for variety!