Amazon Prime Air Secures Key FAA Drone Delivery Approval

The company has obtained a waiver for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone operations, allowing it to expand its service in College Station, Texas.

Friday, May 31, 2024 at 04:38 PM ET

Verified

Amazon Prime Air delivery drones can now cover a larger service area than previously authorized under FAA regulations. [Courtesy: Amazon Prime Air]

Key Takeaways:

Amazon Prime Air received crucial FAA approval for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations, allowing its drones to fly without direct human observation.
This BVLOS authorization, enabled by Amazon's onboard detect-and-avoid system, immediately expands its delivery area in College Station, Texas, and is vital for scaling its drone delivery service.
Amazon plans significant expansion, with new U.S. markets like Tolleson, Arizona, launching later this year, followed by further domestic and international (U.K., Italy) growth in 2025/late 2024, alongside the development of a new MK-30 drone.

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Amazon’s drone delivery venture, which so far has fallen short of ex-CEO Jeff Bezos’ vision of nationwide ubiquity, this week delivered a positive update.

Amazon Prime Air on Thursday said it obtained FAA approval for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone operations, which refer to flights that cannot be directly observed by a human pilot. The company said its new permissions will allow it to immediately expand the delivery area for its MK-27 drone in College Station, Texas, one of two U.S. locations in which it began flying in 2022. Its other service, in Lockeford, California, was shut down in April.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.