Google spinoff Wing lands FAA clearance for drone deliveries
Wing aims to launch a delivery trial in Virginia later this year.
- She received the Renau Writing Scholarship in 2016 from the University of Louisville's communication department.
Wing drones have gained clearance from the FAA.
The US Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Transportation gave Wing, a drone startup under Google parent company Alphabet, the same certifications as small airlines, Wing confirmed Tuesday. The clearance makes Wing the first drone company to get the same government approval as an airline.
"Air Carrier Certification means that we can begin a commercial service delivering goods from local businesses to homes in the United States," Wing said in a Medium blog post. Bloomberg earlier reported Wing's approval.
Wing said its next step is to expand its participation in the government's Unmanned Aircraft System Integration Pilot Program in southwest Virginia. The company said it'll reach out to business and community members in the Blacksburg and Christiansburg areas with the goal of launching a delivery trial later this year.
Wing has been working with the FAA since September 2018. It became the first drone delivery service in Australia after 18 months of testing. The company is also planning to launch in Europe later this spring.
