Regulator
The FAA signed off its environmental review for 22 Amazon drone hubs in Texas. Each hub may run up to 1,000 delivery flights a day.
A regulator's decision
What the source says
“Prime Air anticipates operating up to 1,000 delivery flights per operating day, 7 days per week, from each of the 22 PADDCs.”
What it means
Prime Air (MK30), from Amazon, is at stage 4 of 5 on our ladder: paying customers. Its stage is set by other milestones on its record; this one adds to the history.
Human help: The maker hasn't said whether people help it remotely.
More on Prime Air (MK30)
- Massachusetts' aviation regulator told Amazon it cannot open a drone takeoff and landing site anywhere in the state without a state certificate, and that Amazon had not yet applied for one.
- Massachusetts' transportation department told Amazon it could not open a Prime Air drone pad in Westborough or elsewhere in the state without its certificate, and said Amazon had not applied.
- Amazon said Prime Air would start drone deliveries in Tallahassee, Florida, by mid-November, at a public showing of its MK30 drone; the building to house the drones was still under permit review.
- DroneXL reported that Amazon's hoped-for late-October start of Prime Air flights in Westborough, Massachusetts, had slipped, with a zoning appeal set for November 2 and a Planning Board hearing on November 10.
- Westborough, Massachusetts, voted 510 to 13 for a local rule banning commercial drone launch pads, aimed at Prime Air; it still needs state approval to take effect.
- Portland, Oregon's city council moved toward a possible pause on drone hubs, and Amazon's first meeting with city planners was cancelled.