Zipline Drone Delivery Secures Latest BVLOS Approval in Wave of FAA Exemptions

The agency also approved UPS Flight Forward, uAvionix, and Phoenix Air Unmanned for extended operations.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, September 19, 2023 at 05:36 PM ET

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A Zipline P1 Zip releases a package to the ground via parachute. [Courtesy: Zipline]

Key Takeaways:

Zipline, a leading drone delivery company, received FAA authorization to conduct beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations without human visual observers.
This key regulatory approval will significantly enhance the scalability, affordability, and speed of Zipline's drone delivery service in the U.S.
The authorization was granted based on Zipline's robust safety systems, including its patented acoustic detect-and-avoid (DAA) technology and redundant flight-critical systems.
The FAA's decision sets an important precedent for the U.S. commercial drone industry, informing future policy and streamlining approvals for other autonomous drone operations.

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Drone delivery’s top dog just added a bark to its bite.

Zipline—whose 750,000 deliveries and 50 million autonomous miles flown to date arguably make it the industry’s undisputed titan—on Tuesday received FAA authorization to remove visual observers (VOs) from its beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations. The firm, which has already taken a massive bite out of the global drone delivery market share, now adds a key operational approval that could make its service more scalable and affordable.