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  • UPS Approved To Run “Drone Airline”

    From Larry Dighera@21:1/5 to All on Wed Oct 2 08:14:13 2019
    The story below begs the question, how will the potential Mid-Air
    Collision (MAC) hazard between UPS drones and arriving/departing
    helicopter ambulances be mitigated? ---------------------------------------------------------------------

    https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/ups-approved-to-run-drone-airline/

    UPS Approved To Run “Drone Airline”
    Marc Cook October 1, 20198

    Image: UPS
    The FAA has given UPS’s Flight Forward subsidiary approval to run
    unmanned aerial delivery vehicles under an FAR Part 135 certificate
    that in turn allows it to use drones with more than 55 pounds of
    useful load. UPS said it will first expand drone deliveries to
    hospital campuses and then into other industries. UPS has already been
    testing delivery UAVs at the Wake Forest University’s medical center
    in Raleigh, North Carolina.

    “This is a big step forward in safely integrating unmanned aircraft
    systems into our airspace, expanding access to healthcare in North
    Carolina and building on the success of the national UAS Integration
    Pilot Program to maintain American leadership in unmanned aviation,”
    said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao.

    According to the FAA, “As a participant in the U.S. Transportation
    Department’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program, the
    North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) partnered with UPS
    Flight Forward. As the operator, they have been engaged in delivery of healthcare supplies around a major hospital campus in Raleigh, North
    Carolina. The flights have focused on the delivery of blood for
    potentially life-saving transfusions, as well as other medical samples
    for lab work.”

    Not only can UPS fly heavier drones, it can do so at night. There are restrictions in place for the UAVs that make them less than
    autonomous, however. The Associated Press reports that the “drones
    won’t be allowed to fly beyond the sight of the operator without an
    FAA exemption for each route. Also, each flight will need a separate
    operator.” UPS will “apply for FAA permission to have a single
    operator fly multiple drones at the same time.”

    UPS Launches First Revenue Drone Delivery Service in U.S.
    Video: https://youtu.be/JUOUt15DRbE

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    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From competetiveflossing@gmail.com@21:1/5 to Larry Dighera on Fri Oct 4 12:18:47 2019
    On Wednesday, October 2, 2019 at 11:14:22 AM UTC-4, Larry Dighera wrote:
    The story below begs the question, how will the potential Mid-Air
    Collision (MAC) hazard between UPS drones and arriving/departing
    helicopter ambulances be mitigated? ---------------------------------------------------------------------

    https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/ups-approved-to-run-drone-airline/

    UPS Approved To Run “Drone Airline”
    Marc Cook October 1, 20198

    Image: UPS
    The FAA has given UPS’s Flight Forward subsidiary approval to run
    unmanned aerial delivery vehicles under an FAR Part 135 certificate
    that in turn allows it to use drones with more than 55 pounds of
    useful load. UPS said it will first expand drone deliveries to
    hospital campuses and then into other industries. UPS has already been testing delivery UAVs at the Wake Forest University’s medical center
    in Raleigh, North Carolina.

    “This is a big step forward in safely integrating unmanned aircraft
    systems into our airspace, expanding access to healthcare in North
    Carolina and building on the success of the national UAS Integration
    Pilot Program to maintain American leadership in unmanned aviation,”
    said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao.

    According to the FAA, “As a participant in the U.S. Transportation Department’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program, the
    North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) partnered with UPS
    Flight Forward. As the operator, they have been engaged in delivery of healthcare supplies around a major hospital campus in Raleigh, North Carolina. The flights have focused on the delivery of blood for
    potentially life-saving transfusions, as well as other medical samples
    for lab work.”

    Not only can UPS fly heavier drones, it can do so at night. There are restrictions in place for the UAVs that make them less than
    autonomous, however. The Associated Press reports that the “drones
    won’t be allowed to fly beyond the sight of the operator without an
    FAA exemption for each route. Also, each flight will need a separate operator.” UPS will “apply for FAA permission to have a single
    operator fly multiple drones at the same time.”

    UPS Launches First Revenue Drone Delivery Service in U.S.
    Video: https://youtu.be/JUOUt15DRbE

    Honestly, I don't see the day when drones beyond the line of sight will
    be able to populate the sky in significant or even limited numbers.
    They're just too small to see and present a clear hazard to general
    aviation.

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    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)