Alphabet Off-Shoot Wing Wins FAA Approval For US Drone Deliveries

Wing, an off-shoot of Google parent company Alphabet, has won approval from the FAA to begin drone deliveries in the US, the first such approval in the US.

Wing’s Drones to Take to the Skies Over Virginia

According to a report in Bloomberg, drone delivery startup Wing has won the approval of FAA regulators to begin drone delivery operations in the United States after meeting the requirements normally reserved for airlines.

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Winning approval as an airline might seem odd, but it proved necessary for Wing since the current rules state that drones can only be operated within sight of their operator, which runs counter to the entire model that Wing is hoping to develop.

By meeting the requirements for an airline, however, Wing can operate beyond the sight lines of operators, who could reside in a centralized control station. This required Wing to create the training programs, safety manuals, and organizational safety structures that traditional airlines are required to produce.

The approval limits Wing’s delivery area to certain areas of Virginia but as Wing demonstrates the safety of their system, they can apply to the FAA for approval to fly in other jurisdictions.

The FAA approval follows up the recent approval Wing won from Australia’s Casa to begin similar deliveries in the Canberra area.