Not long ago, UPS partnered up with Matternet to begin a drone delivery system.  The groundbreaking partnership took place in Raleigh, NC on the WakeMed hospital campus.  In conjunction with the FAA, UPS and Matternet began transporting medical samples with drones across the expansive Raleigh medical campus.  Traditionally these medical samples would be transported by courier vehicles.  But in a growing urban environment this method was beginning to compromise the samples.  Depending on traffic conditions these deliveries of highly time sensitive materials could take up to an hour.  The drones are able to complete the deliveries in just a matter of minutes.

The combined efforts of logistics giant UPS and drone manufacturer Matternet has been so successful that UPS is ready to move on to a full scale drone delivery program.  On July 23rd UPS formally announced their plans to launch just such a program under a subsidiary called UPS Flight Forward, Inc.  They have petitioned the FAA to allow them to bring drone deliveries into a mainstream format.  Scott Price, UPS chief transformation and strategy officer said, “UPS is committed to using technology to transform the way we do business.  UPS’s formation of a drone delivery company and application to begin regular operations under this level of certification is historic for UPS and for the drone and logistics industries.”

The license they have requested is called the Part 135.  To operate a drone commercially it is mandatory to obtain a Part 107 license, a relatively easy process.  The Part 135 is a bit different.  It covers all of the aspects of a Part 107, but it also includes the ability to fly a drone (or multiple drones) over people, at night, and out of line of sight much like a traditional aircraft.  If the FAA grants UPS a Part 135 for drone operations they will become the first ever logistics company with revenue generating drone deliveries in the United States.

The process is a bit more complex than just waiting on approval from the FAA.  To be in compliance with a Part 135 UPS will have to completely rewrite the manual on drone logistics.  Which is why they formed the subsidiary UPS Flight Forward.  Flight Forward would be responsible for following the same strict guidelines used by piloted aircraft.  It would require a whole new level of training for operators, overseers, maintenance, and receiving operations.  UPS will need to write training manuals on every situation that a drone could encounter in this capacity.

UPS is hoping to be granted a Part 135 within the year.  Once it has FAA approval they plan to first expand on the success they found in North Carolina with medical deliveries.  They are well aware that the beginning stages of such a venture could be too costly for the everyday homeowner looking to have goods delivered directly to their home by drone.  Medical professionals can more easily afford to fully implement a regularly scheduled drone delivery system.  After setting up medical offices for delivery schedules UPS Flight Forward plans to move into deliveries for commercial purposes.  Transporting goods from a loading area to a shop for example.  While being able to make deliveries directly to a customer’s home is a future goal, UPS says for now customers will still be getting home deliveries with the good old brown truck.

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