From TechCrunch: Amazon has received approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly its delivery drones longer distances, the company announced on Thursday. Amazon says it can now expand its Prime Air service, which uses delivery drones to fly individual packages, to more customers.
The FAA requires that operators maintain a line of sight to their drones until it approves technology that can safely monitor and control them without visuals. Amazon says it spent years developing Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) technology for its drones to ensure they can detect and avoid obstacles in the air.
The company showcased the technology for FAA inspectors to demonstrate that its drones can safely navigate away from planes, helicopters and hot air balloons.
The announcement comes after Alphabet’s Wing received an FAA exemption last December to fly its drones beyond the visual line of sight.
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