![]() The FAA’s air carrier certificate is required to operate drones that utilize sense-and-avoid technology to perform flights without a visual observer. The Prime Air drone will check for a small area at the delivery location that is free of obstructions before descending towards the ground, hovering, and releasing the package. ![]() Our algorithms use a diverse suite of technologies for object detection.”Īccording to the company’s June 13 announcement, safety at the moment of delivery is critical. When flying to the delivery location, the drones need to be able to identify static and moving obstacles. “We designed our sense-and-avoid system for two main scenarios,” Amazon stated: “to be safe when in transit, and to be safe when approaching the ground. The system was designed to change the drone’s course and avoid both stationary and moving obstacles. The system was created for operations at greater distances and to ensure safety by avoiding obstacles and preventing collisions. In this week’s announcement, Amazon shared that they have developed a sophisticated sense-and-avoid system to enable drone deliveries to take place without a visual observer. At the time, Amazon also requested an exemption to allow Part 135 operations to begin with its fleet of air cargo aircraft before its MK27 drone, intended for Prime Air operations, received its airworthiness certificate. The company formally requested the FAA’s approval to operate as a Part 135 unmanned air carrier for commercial drone deliveries in the U.S. " Our algorithms use a diverse suite of technologies for object detection.” Pictured above is Amazon's drone design circa 2016. This version was one of many the company shared that they had developed more than 12 prototypes in their facilities. An updated hybrid prototype was unveiled at the end of 2015, a “multi-rotor helicopter” designed for vertical lift and a transition to horizontal flight with a 15-mile range. Prime Air is collaborating with both the Federal Aviation Administration and Lockeford’s local officials on an ongoing basis, and will obtain permission from the appropriate authorities to begin drone delivery operations.Īmazon’s efforts to develop an uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) for delivery services were first made public in 2013. Drone deliveries will first launch in Lockeford, California, a community with a population of about 3,500. ![]() (Photo courtesy of Amazon)Īmazon’s drone delivery service, Prime Air, will begin serving customers by the end of this year, the company announced this week. The company plans to launch drone delivery services later this year. Once purchased, the customer gets an ETA for delivery, along with status updates tracking the drone’s progress.Pictured above is the latest design of Amazon's MK27-2 drone. Placing an order with the service is largely the same as any Amazon delivery. Once the system has reached its target, it descends, hovers and lowers the package. If obstacles are identified, our drone will automatically change course to safely avoid them. It can also detect moving objects on the horizon, like other aircraft, even when it’s hard for people to see them. Using this system, our drone can identify a static object in its path, like a chimney. Our algorithms use a diverse suite of technologies for object detection. We designed our sense-and-avoid system for two main scenarios: to be safe when in transit, and to be safe when approaching the ground. It notes, in particular, some of the obstacle avoidance systems it has built in - a key component of a large, autonomous system seeking regulatory approval. Amazon is using the opportunity to discuss more about the drone program, which has thus far lagged behind competing offerings from companies like the Alphabet-owned Wing.
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