Arrive Applauds Federal Action to Spur Drone-Based Delivery as Part of FAA Reauthorization Act
Amazon announces drone delivery expansion plans
INDIANAPOLIS (May 30, 2024) – Arrive, the Indianapolis company with patented-protected technology that provides a secure, climate-sensitive platform for autonomously delivered packages, applauded Congress for passing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act 2024. The passage will free more airways and speed up drone delivery throughout the United States – and the autonomous delivery industry is already responding with expansions.
“It’s great to see our leaders come together to strengthen the administration and support technological advances and innovation that will enhance consumers’ lives,” said Arrive CEO Dan O’Toole. “There’s a lot going on in the package delivery space right now that will transform the last mile of the delivery chain and could now be easier to accomplish.”
As an indication of what can result from federal support for innovation, O’Toole pointed to today’s announcement from Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer and marketplace, that it had won FAA approval for its Prime Air delivery service to operate drones “beyond visual line of sight.”
That action removes a barrier that has prevented Amazon drones from traveling longer distances. The company said it plans to scale its existing drone delivery operations in Texas to reach customers in more densely populated areas. The FAA approval “lays the foundation” to scale Amazon operations to more locations around the country, the post said.
President Joe Biden signed the lengthy reauthorization legislation May 16 after overwhelming support from the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate earlier in the month.
In addition to many other provisions, the legislation facilitates the commercial use of drones and unmanned aircraft, directing the FAA to establish a pathway for beyond visual line-of-sight operations and create two additional test sites for companies to start using unmanned aircraft (UAS) for package delivery or other operations. The bill also gives the FAA enforcement authority to prohibit unauthorized or unsafe use of UAS. It also extends the BEYOND program which launched in 2020, for five years. Progress has been made under the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program which centers around developing standards, engaging communities and informing policies to facilitate the safe deployment and operation of drones.
About Arrive:
Arrive’s patented Mailbox-as-a-Service (MaaS) platform makes the exchange of goods between people, robots and drones frictionless through the use of artificial intelligence, leveraging climate-assisted cargo space, smart alerts and advanced chain of custody controls to secure the last inch of the last-mile for all shippers, delivery services and autonomous delivery networks. Arrive is merging with Bruush (Nasdaq: BRUUSH) to trade as ARRV. Learn more at: https://www.arriveai.com/
