Amazon's Prime Air prototype package delivery UAS. Photo: Amazon.

by AUVSI News

Today, the Federal Aviation Administration issued an experimental airworthiness certificate to Amazon Logistics, Inc. for an unmanned aircraft systems design that Amazon could use for research and development and crew training towards their ultimate goal of UAS package delivery.



“Companies like Amazon are at the forefront of technological advances and are investing heavily in research and development", says AUVSI President and CEO Brian Wynne in a statement. "It is important to ensure that innovative uses of UAS technology, such as package delivery, take off in the U.S.”



Experimental certificates are awarded to manufacturers to operate a UAS that does not have a type certificate or does not conform to its type certificate, in this case because the system is being used for research and development and crew training on an experimental aircraft. The certificate is only good for the particular model of the aircraft approved. If Amazon tweaks the design, they would require a new certificate.



The certificate requires all operations to occur during daylight hours under 400 feet and within line of sight for a pilot and observer. The pilot must have at least a private pilot’s certificate and current medical license to operate the UAS. The line-of-sight limitation will prevent Amazon from testing their aircraft in practical UAS delivery scenarios.



“Industry and government also need to work together to lay the groundwork for beyond-line-of-sight operations, a necessary prerequisite for package delivery and other transformational uses of UAS technology,” says Wynne.



As part of the certificate requirements Amazon must provide the FAA with flight data monthly including the number of flights, pilot duty time per flight, hardware or software malfunctions, deviations from air traffic controllers’ instructions and any unintended lost links. These requirements are standard for experimental airworthiness certificates.

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