FAA Granted Authorization 3D Robotics For Parking Garage Inspection

For the first time, the FAA has granted permission for a drone to be flown on an airport in the United States ... and it wasn't just any airport.

The flight took place at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, one of the busiest in the world.

CNBC Recode reports that the seven flights were conducted by 3D Robotics on January 10. The Berkley, CA-based company was authorized to collect data on a pair of four-story parking garages that are slated for demolition.

On its blog, 3DR sait its team "used the new FAA online portal to obtain the authorization for the flight. As part of the airspace authorization process, 3DR and Atkins were able to demonstrate to the FAA that an operation in such a critical location between runways could be performed safely using Site Scan, 3DR’s autonomous aerial data capture platform.

"After coordinating with the ATL air traffic control tower, the FAA granted airspace authorization enabling this aerial data capture on Atkins’ construction site. Part of the requirement for the authorization was that the flight team was in radio contact with the ATL control tower at all times during the flight and performed all operations under the control tower’s authority."

The flights went of without a hitch. CNBC reports that the permit required three spotters to observe the drone during its flight, and continuously coordinate with ATC.

(Image from file)

FMI: Blog Post