Back in February, we discussed the introduction of a drone food delivery service in Canberra. At that time, Project Wing (an offshoot of Google’s parent company Alphabet) was only trialling the delivery of food, coffee and medication in a select few suburbs of Canberra. While there have been many critics of the project, there are also plenty of residents who welcome the convenience of the service. With safety the primary concern, the final decision of whether the drone delivery business should be allowed to continue was left up to Casa, the aviation watchdog.
The verdict?
As of this morning, Casa has granted approval for Project Wing to officially launch in Canberra.
Google’s Wing Drones Approved
During the 18 month trial, over 300 deliveries were made while Casa examined a number of critical safety components of the business including:
- Traffic management system
- Maintenance
- Drone pilot training
- Operational plans
“All those safety issues have been assessed so there are no risks to people on the ground, property or aircraft in the sky,” Casa spokesman Peter Gibson
While Project Wing has been given regulatory approval to officially launch its public drone delivery service, it does come with restrictions.
How Will Google’s Drone Delivery Service Work?
Noise was the primary complaint from residents during the trial period. Casa did consider noise issues as apart of the approval process and is reflected in some of the restrictions put on the drone delivery business. These include:
- Drones are not allowed to fly over main roads
- Food delivery drones can only fly between 7am and 8pm (weekend times may differ).
- Drones must maintain a set minimum distance from people
A Canberra resident discusses some of the positives of the drone delivery service below.
Customers in eligible homes (starting with Crace, Palmerston and Franklin, then expanding into Harrison and Gungahlin) will also be given information about how to safely interact with drones.
Drone Training Courses Australia Wide
If you are looking to move into the drone industry, you’ll need to start with a drone certification course. Total RPA provides a range of CASA certified training and consulting packages which can be tailored to your needs. Check out our course timetable or contact us for a personalised quote.