The Payload? Ice Cream

The country's first commercial BVLOS delivery by drone brought ice cream to a two-year-old in a demonstration conducted in Virginia by Alphabet's Wing.

The Roanoke Times reports that the delivery flight covered 1.4 miles, and arrived within eight minutes from the time the order was completed by the mom of the lucky toddler. It was conducted under new rules that allow some states and other government entities to experiment with BVLOS drone flights put in place last year.

Among those in attendance at the demonstration was Earl Lawrence, director of the FAA's UAS Integration Office. “You did see something historic today,” Lawrence said. “They can share the fact that the U.S. does have package delivery in its future.”

Virginia listed package delivery through a partnership with Wing as one of its goals in its application with the FAA for participation in the program. The state proposed three areas for delivery testing; Wise county, Montgomery and Roanoke counties and Loudoun county.

Wing CEO James Burgess said the company will only set up operations for drone delivery where it is wanted, but said the company plans a full launch of the service "in the near term."

(Image from YouTube)

FMI: Original report