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Wing, Alphabet’s drone subsidiary, received FAA “air carrier” certification today. Later this year, it plans to use drones to ferry goods—like food or Hokies jerseys—from local merchants to customers in Blacksburg and Christiansburg, VA.
The fine print: Ryan Burgess, Wing’s CEO, told Bloomberg the application process was “very rigorous and very thorough.” After all, it is the first time a drone operator has received government approval as an airline.
Wing’s out in front
In the U.S., most operators are limited under drone-specific regulatory carve-outs. But that’s changing: The FAA is looking to accelerate drone integration and recently allowed short-haul commercial drone deliveries in North Carolina.
Now that it’s jumped through the airline certification hoop, Wing can charge to carry cargo and fly its drones beyond line of sight. Burgess said getting an FAA license will probably be easier for other drone operators going forward.
Zoom out: Wing is gaining velocity. Earlier this month, regulators gave it the greenlight for drone delivery service in Canberra, Australia.