Ten commercial drone projects have been selected to try out new ways for unmanned aircraft to be integrated into the skies in America. They include Zipline, which currently offers a blood-delivery service in Rwanda, and Apple.
The Federal Aviation Authority has previously had extremely tight rules about the use of drones. Phone maker Apple was among those chosen and will capture images of North Carolina by drone, while Microsoft, Uber and Intel will all be involved in projects. According to Reuters, Amazon applied to deliver goods by drone to shoppers in New York but was rejected.
The 10 chosen projects include:
A government agency in Florida will use drones to help control mosquito populations
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma will work on flying drones beyond a pilot’s line of sight, in partnership with CNN
North Carolina will work with Flytrex to test food delivery services
FedEx will work with Memphis County Airport Authority using drones for security and infrastructure and to deliver parts
The City of Reno in Nevada will work with Flirtey on delivering medical supplies
The 10 winners were picked from 149 proposals. Full details of each trial have not yet been released but each applicant will have around two-and-a-half years to run the trials, sharing information with the FAA along the way.
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