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 leader in drone delivery, received landmark FAA authorization to operate commercial package deliveries beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) without human visual observers (VOs).
This approval significantly enhances Zipline's operational scalability and affordability, enabling wider service areas and more efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly deliveries.
The FAA's decision was based on Zipline's proven safety record and advanced onboard acoustic detect-and-avoid (DAA) system, which autonomously monitors airspace.
This authorization is expected to inform future FAA BVLOS policy and streamline similar approvals for other drone companies, accelerating the integration of autonomous drone delivery into U.S. airspace.

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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.