The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted UPS air carrier certification under Part 135 for delivery via drones. The Part 135 certification will allow UPS to fly as many drones as it would like, and does not set a limit on the scope of their proposed operation. The Part 135 certification also allows UPS to exceed the 55-pound limit set by the FAA Part 107 rule, as well as operate beyond visual line of sight and at night without further authorization. Follow drone-related news to see how this impacts Part 107 pilots and other commercial drone use.

Although this is a monumental ruling by the FAA, don’t expect deliveries to start flying to your house just yet. Implementation of this plan will take significant planning and resources. Over time, it appears that UPS has a long-term plan for drone delivery to hospitals, expanding and improving detect and avoid technology, and partnering with drone manufacturers to design and build specialized drones for delivery.