Getting your package delivered by drone just moved one big step closer to becoming a reality. The Federal Aviation Administration is clearing the way for widespread commercial drone delivery by passing two long-awaited rule changes for drones.
Small drones will now be allowed to fly over people and fly at night, according to the FAA.
The implementation of the rule change will take some time. The new rules are set to take effect 60 days after publication in the federal register in January. Once the new rules are in place, drone manufacturers will have 18 months to begin producing drones with Remote ID capabilities. Operators will then have an additional year to provide Remote ID.
FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said, “The new rules make way for the further integration of drones into our airspace by addressing safety and security concerns. They get us closer to the day when we will more routinely see drone operations such as the delivery of packages.”
Companies like Amazon and Walmart have been working toward creating drone fleets to eventually deliver packages. Both companies were given federal approval to begin testing commercial deliveries through drone operation.
The U.S. currently has more than 1.7 million drone registrations and over 200,000 FAA-certified remote pilots.
Widespread delivery by drone is most likely still years away but these rule changes clear the flight path for Amazon Prime packages to literally be dropped at your doorstep.
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