Chances are that you have heard about the potential of Amazon offering high-speed deliveries using drones. Although drone delivery sounds exciting when you need it faster than your Prime account can provide it, it’s not as simple as it sounds. There are many barriers standing between Amazon and drone delivery, including some legal issues. Here is what you need to know.
FAA Part 107 Drone Regulations
The FAA enacted specific regulations governing the operation of drones in 2016. There are many potential conflicts under part 107 within these regulations that could be problematic for Amazon, including the fact that drones cannot be automated and instead must have a human commander who can keep the drone in his or her line of sight. Additionally, drones cannot be flown over people or vehicles who are not participating in the drone exercise, and they are not permitted to enter commercial airspace near airports without specific authorization.
Inability to Obtain FAA Section 333 Exemptions
Section 333 exemptions are granted by the FAA to commercial drone operators in order to override some part 107 rules, including allowing commercial drone operators to fly drones outside of their lines of vision. However, no commercial operator has been granted the ability to do so, and other exemptions have only been granted to commercial operators when the drones in question would stay at least 500 feet from non-participating vehicles and people. For Amazon, this would be nearly impossible, as they would be delivering in cities.
Overlapping Legal Regulations
In addition to meeting the FAA’s rules for drones, Amazon will need to follow the rules of every state, country, city, and town their drones cross to make deliveries. These rules can be complex and conflicting, creating a potential legal nightmare for the company.
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