CAA

The drone delivery provider is working with medical logistics firm Apian and the U.K.’s National Health Service (NHS) to launch a six-month trial.

U.K. manufacturer took a prototype of its flagship VX4 through ground testing and multiple crewed tethered flights at Cotswold Airport.

The United Kingdom’s Civil Aviation Authority will also study drones for infrastructure inspections, emergency services, and policing.

The U.K. manufacturer is back to trials after an initial prototype aircraft suffered a crash last year.

The U.K. Department for Transport publishes guidance for the country’s growing drone and air taxi industries, aiming for routine service within the next five years.

The manufacturer has now received a total of $47 million in British government grant funding, which it will use to develop its next-generation propellers.

The Boston-based company says the approval puts it on a viable path to certification and commercial operations for Merlin Pilot, its flagship autonomous flight system.

The FAA was charged with regulating air commerce to promote its development and safety and with promoting, encouraging, and developing civil aeronautics. How, when, and why did these congressionally-mandated functions change?

The company, which has pushed its target to 2026, expects industrywide certification ‘timeline corrections.’

The HeliSAS certification adds to existing FAA STC as well as approvals from CAA and ANAC.