"FAA Approvals Pave the Way for Extended Drone Flights and BVLOS Deliveries by Zipline"
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted approvals to several drone operators, including Zipline, UPS subsidiary Flight Forward, uAvionix, and Phoenix Air Unmanned, allowing them to fly drones beyond the visual line of sight. This milestone paves the way for other companies to receive streamlined approval for their own drone flights and accelerates efforts to deliver goods by unmanned aircraft. The new regulations eliminate the need for human observers along the entire route, increasing accessibility and scalability of drone operations. Zipline, a drone delivery company, expects to serve "hundreds of millions of people" in the U.S. with its expanded capabilities. The FAA approvals demonstrate the U.S.'s commitment to staying at the forefront of the drone industry's technological transformation.