A package that included bottled water, emergency food and a first aid kit was the first legal drone delivery to an urban residential area in Hawthorne, Nevada, USA. The delivery was made by Flirtey, a Nevada based start-up that is specialised in real – time delivery using flying robots. This was the first Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved urban drone delivery in the United States.
“Conducting the first drone delivery in an urban setting is a major achievement, taking us closer to the day that drones make regular deliveries to your front doorstep,” said Matt Sweeny, CEO of Flirtey. “Drone delivery by Flirtey is set to save lives and change lifestyles.” You can watch the delivery here.
FAA estimates the number of drones flying in US skies to nearly triple to seven million by the end of 2020. The report “Aerospace Forecast Report Fiscal Years 2016 to 2036” predicts that drones will be the most dynamic growth sector within aviation.
The drone’s delivery in a complex urban environment paves the way towards the use of drones for recycling and waste collection programs.