FAA Gives Google Rights to Drone Airspace

[Andre Levite]

Effective today Google is the first US company cleared by the FAA for commercial drone delivery. They are on track to start in late 2019 with other companies applied as well.

Since they will not be sharing airspace with manned aircraft one must conclude they will be using the same space now occupied by hobbyists.

Google (and eventually Amazon) are willing to pay huge fees for the rights to clear airspace. Hard to see how hobbyists will have anyplace to fly in the era of commercial drone delivery.

Be on the lookout for a big fat NFZ around Blacksburg VA when this ramps up late 2019.

 

[skipper420]

Effective today Google is the first US company cleared by the FAA for commercial drone delivery. They are on track to start in late 2019 with other companies applied as well.

Since they will not be sharing airspace with manned aircraft one must conclude they will be using the same space now occupied by hobbyists.

Google (and eventually Amazon) are willing to pay huge fees for the rights to clear airspace. Hard to see how hobbyists will have anyplace to fly in the era of commercial drone delivery.

Be on the lookout for a big fat NFZ around Blacksburg VA when this ramps up late 2019.

Was fun while it lasted

 

[Spark 317]

 

[SPark_South_Oz]

Been wondering about the possibility of this fast approaching commercial drone airspace creating issues for hobbyists.
Couple Google, Amazon, medical deliveries, all the big fast food places no doubt together in the air and it's a recipe for complications in airspace for sure.
There is so much happening in this area it's a bit overwhelming . . . and you'd think there will be issues with drone accidents in this type of use, which will only make public perception of drone safety more concerning to the general public and authorities.

Here in OZ, we have a trial delivery Project Wing happening in the nations capital of Canberra (ACT) . . . this is a subsidiary of Alphabet, the company that owns Google and X Development LLC.
A lot of unhappy people over there, just Google > canberra drone trial

 

[nilanjan118]

”This means Wing can begin a commercial service delivering goods from local businesses to homes, which includes flights beyond visual line of site and over people, the FAA and Wing said. ”

Things a fat cheque can buy.　?

 

[Tom Bennett]

Write Amazon. Refuse drone delivery.
My house is in an NFZ for 2 airports anyway. Write FAA and contend that all pilots need instrument ratings as they are beyond VLOS ... and that drones used need instant and constant 360 degree visual capability visible to pilots at all times since they are going to fly on to my porch.
If they get hung in my 100 ft trees trees I’ll refuse access to the property, but I’ll remove it just like I do kites, etc... yes I know about big bucks, but if it gets too onerous maybe it will die a natural death.
Might also help if no drone related equipment was purchased, and nothing else either, by those owning drones... and tell Amazon why. Plus copy your emails to Google, eBay, and anyone else you can think of. That’s the only way for us to speak with dollars.
Enlist the local drivers help. The ones this will unemploy.
I know it’s a rant...

 

[Andre Levite]

Write Amazon. Refuse drone delivery.
My house is in an NFZ for 2 airports anyway. Write FAA and contend that all pilots need instrument ratings as they are beyond VLOS ... and that drones used need instant and constant 360 degree visual capability visible to pilots at all times since they are going to fly on to my porch.
If they get hung in my 100 ft trees trees I’ll refuse access to the property, but I’ll remove it just like I do kites, etc... yes I know about big bucks, but if it gets too onerous maybe it will die a natural death.
Might also help if no drone related equipment was purchased, and nothing else either, by those owning drones... and tell Amazon why. Plus copy your emails to Google, eBay, and anyone else you can think of. That’s the only way for us to speak with dollars.
Enlist the local drivers help. The ones this will unemploy.
I know it’s a rant...

Unfortunately there are less than 7 million drone pilots in the US.

We are dwarfed by the over 100 million Amazon Prime members.

Given that we are outnumbered 14 to 1 a boycott isn't going to work.** I'm a drone lover but the general public is addicted to Amazon and views drones as a curiosity or a threat.

Perhaps the solution is petitioning the government to keep the skies at least partially public. We may need to be satisfied with a few dedicated drone parks. There's just too much money at stake to give airspace away free to hobbyists.

** I know that's not exactly how statistics work but the relative numbers are significant

 

[Spark 317]

I read the article and it seems like a waste of time to deliver one package at a time, even though a pilot can operate 5 drones at once.

What product does Google have to deliver?
Goods from local businesses. Ok, so it's going to leave its base of operation or hive, (it is a drone btw), go to my local business, pickup the package and bring it to my house. What happens when I have to send the package back for some reason, call up Google?

What about people that live in a housing complex like an apartment or condominium?

Since they got approval to operate as an airline, I would hope there would be enough airspace for everyone.
0-400' for hobbyist, 400' and up for commercial drones and aircraft.
When the delivery drone goes to a house, it could do so above 400', then descend over the target down and then lower the package from a tether from below 100' if permissible. NASA put a drone on Mars that way.

Technology is coming fast, maybe too fast.
Have you seen the Boston Dynamics "dogs"?

Yikes.

 

[Andre Levite]

I read the article and it seems like a waste of time to deliver one package at a time, even though a pilot can operate 5 drones at once.

What product does Google have to deliver?
Goods from local businesses. Ok, so it's going to leave its base of operation or hive, (it is a drone btw), go to my local business, pickup the package and bring it to my house. What happens when I have to send the package back for some reason, call up Google?

What about people that live in a housing complex like an apartment or condominium?

Since they got approval to operate as an airline, I would hope there would be enough airspace for everyone.
0-400' for hobbyist, 400' and up for commercial drones and aircraft.
When the delivery drone goes to a house, it could do so above 400', then descend over the target down and then lower the package from a tether from below 100' if permissible. NASA put a drone on Mars that way.

Technology is coming fast, maybe too fast.
Have you seen the Boston Dynamics "dogs"?

Yikes.

If you research a little a little deeper you will find that most of your questions and concerns have been addressed.

Google's commercial drone delivery has been up a running in Australia. This news just announces the expansion into the US. They've already established a proof of concept down under.

Google will start by delivering expensive items primarily to businesses to maximize profitability. The companies are willing to pay a premium to get their items asap.

Google wants to compete for sales with Amazon. At the moment the fued between Trump and Bezos in the Washington Post has stymied Amazon's approval by the FAA.

Companies like Amazon have shown a willingness to operate at a loss for years in order to establish dominance in a new market.

Each drone can carry multiple products to multiple locations to maximize efficiency.

The use a pilots is only temporary. They long term plan includes drones with autonomous flight systems.

The program will start in rural areas to minimize flights over dense population. These locations don't necessarily have local stores that stock the items they desire.

Residential delivery will initially be at centralized drop boxes. The same customers who now use Amazon but need same day delivery will have access to a variety of products that local businesses can't stock.

Giving Google "the same rights as airlines" was a gross over-simplification by the article's author. It just have same permission to fly over people and outside VLOS. Drones have many more restrictions and will get their own set of regulations on short order.

Collision with manned aircraft must be avoided at all cost because that risk threatens the program as a whole. Commercial delivery drones will minimizes use of airspace over 400' to mitigate that risk. That puts then at odds with hobbyists.


Google has dedicated a lot of thought and money to making this work. Much of their plans are trade secrets. The Australian program and FAA applications forced them to divulge some of those plans.

 

[Spark 317]

Each drone can carry multiple products to multiple locations to maximize efficiency.

The one shown in the video only carries one item at a time. This may be a test craft, but to carry multiple packages will result in larger aircraft.

Collision with manned aircraft must be avoided at all cost because that risk threatens the program as a whole. Commercial delivery drones will minimizes use of airspace over 400' to mitigate that risk. That puts then at odds with hobbyists.

I would assume that a commercial drone capable of flying 75mph would be outfitted with transponders, lights, and a possible flight plan with ATC to alert other aircraft above the 400' mark, just like all of the aircraft up there.

Let's hope they don't interference with our hobby, but probably will because $$$ gets things accomplished.