Pilotless drone deliveries have moved a step closer after it was confirmed a test would be held in the new year.<\/p>\n
An official trial will see an unmanned small aircraft tested beyond an operator\u2019s visual line of sight, which is currently banned under normal aviation rules.<\/p>\n
An operator in a control room \u2018will monitor semi-autonomous drones being flown 50 miles away, initially carrying out inspections on construction sites\u2019 in an advanced evaluation in February, the Times reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n Amazon-style parcel deliveries from the air are not the only advantage that could be gained from pilotless drones.<\/p>\n Benefits could also include long-distance aerial surveys of infrastructure and construction, and surveying the scenes of accidents and crimes, according to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).<\/p>\n Currently, drone owners cannot fly above an altitude of 400 ft and must keep the aircraft within their direct line of sight so it does not collide with other aircraft.<\/p>\n Advertisement Advertisement <\/p>\n The Times reported West Sussex-based company Sees.ai would carry out the trial in February at a Skanska construction site using a DJI S900 drone inspecting work for engineers and architects.<\/p>\n The CAA has confirmed sees.ai is developing technology for unmanned drone operations and said tests were planned with companies including Skanska.<\/p>\n Earlier this month, the CAA published a guide aimed at making unmanned drone flights an \u2018everyday occurrence\u2019.<\/p>\n David Tait, from the CAA, said: \u2018Enabling everyday drone flying beyond visual line of sight is a game-changer, providing the opportunity for unmanned vehicles to monitor critical infrastructure, make deliveries and support our daily lives in an efficient and environmentally friendly way.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018We are now working closely with some of the world\u2019s leading innovators to make these amazing possibilities a reality.\u2019<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tGot a story for Metro.co.uk?\t\t\t<\/h2>\n