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Amazon Receives FAA Approval to Expand Prime Air Drone Deliveries Beyond Visual Line of Sight

May 30, 2024, 02:44 PM

Amazon has received approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to operate its Prime Air delivery drones beyond the visual line of sight of pilots. This regulatory clearance will allow Amazon to expand its drone delivery service across more locations in the United States, including College Station, Texas. The company aims to deliver 500 million packages annually by drone by 2029. This development follows Amazon's efforts to demonstrate the safety and efficiency of its drone operations through various flight demonstrations, including scenarios involving planes, helicopters, and hot air balloons. Meanwhile, Amazon and Atlas Air have ended their CMI contract, with Atlas Air phasing out its operations of 17 767s and 8 737s for Amazon by June next year. Amazon plans to relocate 25 aircraft to other operators. This follows their 2020 Air Carrier certification.