United Parcel Service Inc. is seeking approval to operate delivery drones under the same rules as a private jet service, unlocking the potential to carry health-care packages over long distances between hospitals.
The company is working with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to obtain Part 135 certification this year, a step toward freeing it from current commercial drone limits on where and how far its robot airfleet can fly. UPS is already earning revenue off health-care deliveries such as blood samples within a hospital campus in North Carolina, operating under the more restrictive rules.
UPS is among a growing segment of operators driving the rapid maturation of the commercial civilian drone industry. Regulators, under pressure to allow commercial expansion, are working with companies willing to commit the time and money to demonstrate they can operate safely, spearheading the expansion.
The FAA has been urging drone companies over the past year to become certified as sma..
Continue reading