@amazon PrimeAir approved by the FAA – Why Postal Corporation of Jamaica will Start Drone Deliveries in Rural and Corporate Jamaica

Amazon must be besides themselves with glee.

This as the FAA (Federal Aviation Authority) has granted them an experimental airworthiness certificate as stated in the article “Amazon Gets OK to Test Drones Outdoors”, published March 19, 2015 5:35 p.m. ET by GREG BENSINGER, Wall Street Journal.

This would allow them to take Amazon Prime air out of the Laboratory and not leave the US of A but instead doe their testing in the US of A as per the article “Your drone delivery dream is one step closer: Amazon gets testing permission for Prime Air”, published March 20, 2015 By Trevor Mogg, DigitalTrends.

Amazon now can add themselves to the list of contractors twenty four (24) contractors now granted permission to operate Drones commercially and conduct Research and Development in the use of Drones in their business as noted in my blog article entitled “FAA approves more Drone Contractors – How to use Drones for Journalism in Jamaica the coming Trend after smartphones in 2017”.

The most high-profile company granted such an exemption was CNN (Cable News Network), who were granted the exemption in January 2015 to do Research and developement in conjunction with GTRI (Georgia Tech Research Institute) to develop Drones specifically for use in Journalism.

This as reported in my blog article entitled “CNN and Georgia Tech Research Institute Drones for Journalism - Drones in US Journalism while USA waits on the FAA” and was read by many who found this News quite amazing.

Amazon Prime Air approved by the FAA – Why Postal Corporation of Jamaica will start Drone Deliveries in Rural and Corporate Jamaica

Albeit a greenlight for Amazon and in fact the entire Parcel and Packaging Industry, they'll still have to play nice with the as-yet ratified FAA Guidelines announced in February 2015 as stated in my blog article entitled “FAA's Regulations for Drones - How UAS Benefit American Economy despite Restrictive FAA Regulations by 2016”.

Put simply, Drones or UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) as the FAA refers to them as noted in “Amazon gets FAA clearance to test delivery  drones”, published March 19, 2015 4:32 PM PDT by Steven Musil, CNET News, have to conform to the following rules:

1.      UAS must weigh less than 24.95 kg (55 lb )

2.      UAS operator or visual observer must maintain visual line-of-sight with the aircraft without visual-enhancement devices i.e. Cameras

3.      UAS cannot find over people not involved in the operation

4.      UAS can only be operated in daylight hours

5.      UAS can only fly at a maximum speed of 160.94Km/h (100 mph)

6.      UAS are limited to an altitude of 152.4 m (500") above ground level

The FAA also requires that the Operator of the UAS also abide by certain specific Guidelines:

1.      UAS Operators can be at least 17 years old

2.      UAS Operators have to pass an initial Aeronautical knowledge test at a FAA-approved testing center

3.      UAS Operators that pass would be vetted by the TSA (Transportation Security Administration)

4.      UAS Operators that pass muster would then obtain a FAA Drone operator certificate

5.      UAS Operators must be tested once every two (2) years to ensure continued knowledge of Drones and Aeronautical knowledge

6.      UAS Operators must surrender their Drones for immediate inspection upon request from the FAA is so deemed necessary

So not quite the Autonomous self-piloted Drones, which technically are still not possible, due to the many technical challenges that  Amazon Prime Air would have to overcome as the video below explains.

Still, it's a huge step towards Amazon Prime Air Drones eventually delivering Packages as prophesied in the article “Amazon just got permission from the FAA to start testing its delivery drones in the US”, published March 19, 2015 04:38 pm By Ben Popper, The Verge

Plus, if they're successful, it's only a matter of time before the Postal Corporation of Jamaica begins testing Drones as well as predicted in my blog article entitled “Postal Corporation of Jamaica Goes Mobile - How Mobile Postal Offices might incorporate Autonomous Drone Delivery”

More coming as Amazon Prime Air takes flight.