The US Department of Transportation is proposing new regulations to expedite the deployment of beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations for drones, which is a critical change to drive the development of commercial drone applications such as package delivery.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced at a press conference on Tuesday, August 5th, “We will leverage the advantages of American drones.”
Currently, operators need individual exemptions or permits to conduct BVLOS flights for drones. The Department of Transportation now states that eliminating these requirements “will significantly expand the application scenarios of drone technology, such as in manufacturing, agriculture, energy production, film production, and transportation of products including life-saving medicines.”
The proposal also includes new regulations for manufacturers, operators, and drone traffic management services to ensure that drones conducting BVLOS operations maintain a safe distance from other drones and manned aircraft.
Duffy stated, “This will change the way people and products move in our airspace… so you might change the way you receive Amazon packages, or even receive a Starbucks coffee through a drone.”
“The industry needs this regulation to ensure they can utilize this technology to operate more efficiently and effectively,” Duffy added.
Earlier this year, Amazon resumed drone delivery tests at two locations in Texas and Arizona. Amazon’s goal is to achieve annual delivery of 500 million packages through drones by the end of 2030.
Under this new proposal by the Department of Transportation, drone operations will take place at designated locations approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), with a maximum flight altitude of 400 feet above ground.
Operators must establish clear flight boundaries, approximate daily flight frequency, takeoff, landing, and loading areas, and ensure procedures for communication disruption with the drone.
Drones must yield to all reported manned aircraft in the area and not interfere with airport operations.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will require flight coordinators and other relevant personnel to check certain data, including safety threat assessments and fingerprint-based criminal record checks.
(This article references reporting by Reuters)