A Zipline P1 drone flies over the city of Muhanga, Rwanda. [Courtesy: Zipline]
Key Takeaways:
Zipline completed the first U.S. commercial drone flight beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) without human visual observers (VOs), a significant milestone enabled by a specific FAA waiver.
This achievement, considered the "holy grail" for scaling drone delivery, relies on Zipline's onboard acoustic detect and avoid (DAA) system to ensure safety, despite an ongoing patent infringement lawsuit concerning this technology.
The removal of VO requirements will allow Zipline to greatly expand its service areas, operate longer routes, and reduce costs, positioning it ahead of competitors in the U.S. drone delivery market.
The FAA's waiver serves as a data-gathering step toward establishing permanent BVLOS regulations, potentially streamlining future approvals for other drone operators with similar technologies.
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.
