UPS has applied for Part 135 certification to conduct commercial UAS flights in the UPS network under a subsidiary business called UPS Flight Forward Inc.

A recently incorporated business, UPS Flight Forward could receive Part 135 certification as early as this year, which would lay the groundwork for UPS having one of the first fully-certified, revenue-generating drone operations in the United States.

When approved, the certification will lay the foundation for UAS operations beyond an operator’s visual line of sight (BVLOS), as well as for flights that occur during the day or night.

UPS says that UPS Flight Forward would operate under the FAA’s standard Part 135 certification, which conveys a legal designation to a company as a certified Air Carrier and Operator.

“UPS is committed to using technology to transform the way we do business,” says Scott Price, UPS chief transformation and strategy officer.

“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.”

Currently, UPS conducts UAS healthcare deliveries in a specific use-case under FAA Part 107 rules.

Back in March, UPS announced a partnership with Matternet to use drones to deliver medical samples in North Carolina, marking the “first FAA sanctioned use of a drone for routine revenue flights involving the transport of a product under a contractual delivery agreement,” the companies explained at the time.

The program is taking place at WakeMed’s flagship hospital and campus in Raleigh, North Carolina. Through the program, UPS uses UAS to deliver medical samples, which supplements a ground courier service.

UPS says that it plans to expand its UAS delivery service to other hospitals or campus settings.