FAA OK’s Google Spinoff to Begin Drone Delivery

For the first time ever, the Federal Aviation Administration has given the thumbs up to a drone company to deliver commercial goods.

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao on April 23 announced the Federal Aviation Administration had awarded the first air carrier certification to Wing Aviation, a Google offshoot. Wing is the first company to receive government approval as an airline.

“This is an important step forward for the safe testing and integration of drones into our economy,” Chao said in a statement. “Safety continues to be our Number One priority as this technology continues to develop and realize its full potential.”

Getting the certification means Wing can begin commercial package delivery in Virginia. The company is working with the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership and Virginia Tech, as one of the participants in DOT’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program.

“For the next several months, we’ll be reaching out to businesses and community members in the Blacksburg and Christiansburg areas to demonstrate our technology, answer questions, and solicit feedback with the goal of launching a delivery trial later this year,” Wing said in a Medium post.