With finalization of new rules for small and unmanned drones, made by FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), delivery of goods by drones may become reality in very near future. New regulations will enable drone tracking, overflight and night operations under certain conditions.
Delivering packages by drones has never been as close in becoming reality as it is now. It means serious business for companies like Amazon – it may allow deivering more packages faster, cheaper and more efficiently. New regulations made by FAA will make some things more clean and allow deivery companies to get ready for the incoming new method of package delivering.
All drones will be required to have Remote ID, an equivalent of a digital license plate, which includes serial number or flight number of a drone, it’s location data and status. The drones must broadcast their locations at all times, but now they don’t have to be connected to internet in order to do that – new regulations allowed to directly broadcast identification and location information with radio frequency technology. Those rules were specially made in order to ensure public safety. Airspace awareness will reduce chances of drone interference with aircraft, buildings or people.
Other regulations will allow to operate such drones at night without a special waiver. Drones will be required to have anti-collision lights that can be seen for three miles. New rules are welcomed by drone developers and operators:
“The rules released today are critical steps towards future UAS rulemakings to enable more complex operations, including beyond visual line of sight for drone delivery, public safety operations and infrastructure inspection. Remote ID is also instrumental to the development of a UAS traffic management system that works alongside the existing air traffic control system for manned aircraft,” the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International said in a statement.
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/new-faa-rules-put-drone-delivery-closer-to-reality
The only thing left to be desired is the ability to for beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations, which currently require a waiver. For example a railway company BNSF Railway had to “petition the FAA for a waiver to remotely operate up to five unmanned aircraft over long distances for rail inspection and patrolling its private property.” Those regulations need to be implemented in near future in order to make long-range deliveries possible. Overall, newly made regulations will make some peoples’ dreams about drone delivery possible in short time, as those regulations will take effect 60 days after their scheduled publication in January.
Sources:
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/new-faa-rules-put-drone-delivery-closer-to-reality
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/12/29/tech/faa-drone-rules/index.html
https://www.faa.gov/news/media/attachments/RemoteID_Executive_Summary.pdf
https://www.faa.gov/news/media/attachments/OOP_Final%20Rule.pdf
Very good innovation, but a few years after its introduction it will be difficult for students to find a job as a delivery man 🙂