Have American regulators shot down UK's Amazon drone hopes?
Weeks after approaching UK about trialling drones here, online retail giant Amazon wins approval from American regulators
2:25PM BST 10 Apr 2015
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Amazon has won permission to test its drone delivery service in the
US, just a fortnight after The Telegraph revealed the internet
retailer had approached the UK government about trialling it
here.
US, just a fortnight after The Telegraph revealed the internet
retailer had approached the UK government about trialling it
here.
British transport minister Robert Goodwill said the company asked
him in March about the possibility of test flying its “Prime Air”
drones in the UK because it found American regulations too onerous.
him in March about the possibility of test flying its “Prime Air”
drones in the UK because it found American regulations too onerous.
Mr Goodwill said: “Amazon came to see me to ask about starting
drone trials in the UK because regulations in the US were too
restrictive. So much for the land of the free.”
drone trials in the UK because regulations in the US were too
restrictive. So much for the land of the free.”
America’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had granted an
exemption that allowed Amazon to fly multi-rotor drones weighing
less than 25kg, including payload, at speeds of up to 100mph, last
month. On Friday, the FAA cleared Amazon to test an updated
drone.
exemption that allowed Amazon to fly multi-rotor drones weighing
less than 25kg, including payload, at speeds of up to 100mph, last
month. On Friday, the FAA cleared Amazon to test an updated
drone.
In a letter the FAA said it had granted an exemption that allowed
Amazon to fly small multi-rotor drones weighing less than 25kg
(including payload) at speeds of up to 100mph.
Amazon to fly small multi-rotor drones weighing less than 25kg
(including payload) at speeds of up to 100mph.
It added the vehicles must not fly higher than 400ft and must be
“operated within visual line of sight at all times of the pilot in
command".
“operated within visual line of sight at all times of the pilot in
command".
The FAA said a separate observer could be used to meet this
visual requirement as long as they and the pilot could
communicate verbally at all time, hinting that radios could be
used to fly drones beyond the pilot’s sight.
visual requirement as long as they and the pilot could
communicate verbally at all time, hinting that radios could be
used to fly drones beyond the pilot’s sight.
Amazon is developing drones capable of carrying loads of up
to 2.25kg – which covers 86pc of the products the company
sells – but had been limited by US rules that required tests to
be held indoors because it is a commercial enterprise.
to 2.25kg – which covers 86pc of the products the company
sells – but had been limited by US rules that required tests to
be held indoors because it is a commercial enterprise.
Last month, Paul Misener, Amazon’s vice president for global
public policy, said in evidence to senators, that the FAA was
considering its requests. However, he added: “We innovated
so rapidly that the [drone] approved by the FAA has become
obsolete. We don’t test it anymore. We’ve moved on to more
advanced designs that we already are testing abroad.”
public policy, said in evidence to senators, that the FAA was
considering its requests. However, he added: “We innovated
so rapidly that the [drone] approved by the FAA has become
obsolete. We don’t test it anymore. We’ve moved on to more
advanced designs that we already are testing abroad.”
Mr Goodwill said the UK is very interested in working with
Amazon and hopes to be at the forefront of drone technology.
Amazon and hopes to be at the forefront of drone technology.
To help ensure the UK’s position in drones, the world’s first
private facility for testing unmanned aerial systems was launched
in 2013 with the announcement of the National Aeronautical
Centre.
private facility for testing unmanned aerial systems was launched
in 2013 with the announcement of the National Aeronautical
Centre.
Operating out of West Wales Airport, the facility was the first in
the world to win authorisation from a national aviation regulator
to operates drones beyond visual line of sight. The airfield offers
segregated airspace for operators of 500 sq miles over land
and 2,000 sq miles over sea.
the world to win authorisation from a national aviation regulator
to operates drones beyond visual line of sight. The airfield offers
segregated airspace for operators of 500 sq miles over land
and 2,000 sq miles over sea.
