A Zipline P1 drone flies over the city of Muhanga, Rwanda. [Courtesy: Zipline]
Key Takeaways:
Zipline completed the first drone delivery flight in the U.S. without human visual observers (VOs), replacing them with an onboard detect and avoid (DAA) system, a milestone considered crucial for scaling drone delivery.
This FAA waiver significantly expands Zipline's operational range and delivery capacity in the U.S., enabling longer routes, reduced costs, and the ability to serve millions more customers.
The approval is part of a broader FAA effort to gather data for future Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) regulations, potentially setting a precedent and streamlining future "summary grants" for other drone operators.
Despite this advancement, Zipline's DAA technology, integral to this approval, is currently subject to an ongoing patent infringement lawsuit.
If a delivery drone flies and nobody is there to see it, did it really fly?
Trick question—the FAA requires commercial drone operators to station humans on the ground, called visual observers (VOs), to keep an eye on every flight. So, the aircraft technically aren’t allowed to fly where no one sees them.
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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.
